COLOMBO, 4 February 2004 — Sri Lanka, formerly Ceylon, is the world’s largest tea producer. Most of the island’s tea estates are situated at elevations between 3,000 and 8,000 feet in two areas - east of Colombo and in the Galle district at the southern tip. Sri Lanka’s finest teas are produced mainly above 4,000 feet. The bushes grow more slowly in the cooler, mistier climate and are harder to harvest because of the steep angle of the slopes on which they are planted. There are six main tea-producing areas. Galle, to the south of the island; Ratnapura, about 55 miles east of Colombo; Kandy, the region near the ancient royal capital; Nuwara Eliya, the highest area that produces the finest teas; Dimbula, west of the central mountains; and Uva, located east of Dimbula.
The teas produced in each region have their own individual characteristics of flavor, aroma, and color. Low-grown teas, produced at 1,500 to 1,800 feet, are of good quality and give good color and strength but lack the distinctive flavor and bright fresh taste of the higher-grown teas and are usually used in blending. Mid-grown teas, produced between 1,800 and 3,500 feet, are rich in flavor and have a good color. High-grown teas, from between 3,500 and 7,500 feet, are of supreme quality. Sri Lanka’s black teas are best enjoyed with a little milk. The island’s principal tea production is of black or fully oxidized tea and though the country is now Sri Lanka, the name Ceylon tea is still used.
Tea is produced year-round but the finest pluckings are in February and March and again in August and September. The larger yield, though lower in quality, occurs during April, May, and June and again in October, November and December. In January the quality drops dramatically. Ceylon teas are divided into high, medium, and low grown. Of these, the high grown is of the very best quality. Low to medium grown Ceylon teas have no particular distinction as far as leaf style is concerned, but they do show good cup strength and color. The high grown leaf, picked at peak times of the year, also has these same characteristics but there is a much more delicate flavor.
Every day some 300,000 estate workers pluck several million tea leaves by hand. This is the first step in the manufacture of quality Ceylon tea.
Only the bud and the two youngest leaves are plucked for it is only these leaves that have the flavor and aroma. In other parts of the world, plucking is done by machines. The machines pluck the bud, the young leaf, a lot of coarse leaf and some twigs as well. Coarse leaf and twigs add bulk rather than flavor to the tea. The hand-plucked Ceylon tea leaf is weighed and then the first quality inspection is made. The leaves are then moved to a factory where they are withered by using large blowers. The next step involves cutting the leaves. This brings out the juices and begins the fermentation process. Fermentation is the critical step. The humidity, temperature and fermentation time has to be well-controlled or flavor will be lost. After fermentation is complete, the leaf is fired to lock in the flavor, to dry it and to improve the keeping qualities. No preservative or artificial flavoring is added in the manufacture of pure Ceylon tea. The final step is the separation of the product according to color and particle size. Here stringent quality control is exercised and anything that fails to measure up to standard is rejected. In recent years, there has been increased interest in the potential health benefits of tea. According to Dr. John Welsburger of the American Health Foundation, current research shows that tea contains powerful antioxidants and health promoting ingredients which lower the risk of heart disease, stroke and certain types of cancer. In recent animal studies, black and green teas have been associated with a reduced risk of skin cancer. In research studies, tea consumption is also associated with minimizing the risk of strokes and heart diseases.
Tea also plays a significant role in maintaining fluid balance which is crucial for normal body function. Tea is also a good source of fluoride, a mineral that strengthens tooth enamel. Tea is enjoyed worldwide because it is calming, reviving and uplifting. It is also thought that the act of sipping the liquid itself has restorative powers.
