Tea plantations. Sri Lanka's attractions: tea plantations

In the early 19th century, a small island in the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka, then still called Ceylon, was brought tea from China, and then from India. First, the wonderful shrubs were grown in a botanical garden, and after a lot of experiments it became clear that on the island nature created the ideal conditions to plant wonderful tea plantations.

Sri Lanka - the tea island

Researchers have determined that Chinese tea should be grown in the highlands, and Indian will feel great on the plains of the island. To start, planted 80 hectares of land, and to date, tea plantations occupy 200,000 hectares, and over the year the harvest is more than 300,000 tons of fragrant leaves.

Currently, Sri Lanka on the quality of tea is in the forefront of producers. Each year there are new fragrant varieties, the quality of which is at the highest level. The drink is exported all over the world, and careful control over production, drying and packaging guarantees an excellent result.

Growing high-quality tea

The quality of the future variety is influenced by the location of the tea plantation. The saturation of the soil with various microelements, the level of dryness and humidity of the earth and air, the altitude above the sea level, the neighboring plants all influence the taste, color and aroma of the leaves.

Tea plantations are located on three levels:

• Up to 600 meters above sea level,
• From 600 to 1200 meters,
• Above 1200 meters.

The island of Sri Lanka does not interrupt the production of tea all year round.

Territorial separation

Tea plantations are located in all areas of the island: Uda Pussellava, Dambula, Kandi. This is the whole territory of Sri Lanka, which produces the world's best teas, and Nuwara Eliya - the capital of tea production. Here are the most high-altitude plantations in the world, located at a level of 2400 meters. Local drink is not like all the others - it is distinguished by a special flavor and color. Each of the varieties of Ceylon tea is good in its own way and gives vivacity, freshness, strength and richness, exotic taste. The advanced production technology allows us to obtain a wide range of flavor and aromatic characteristics of the product.

Export

Sri Lanka is in the first place among the countries producing tea abroad and in third place in terms of production, providing about a quarter of world consumption. The tea leaves account for 2/3 of the cost of all exports of the country. Among the population there is a joke that on the island you will not find a good tea - all went for sale.

For almost two hundred years, Sri Lanka's products have the highest quality rating. Planck does not drop over the years - now it is a recognized leader in all characteristics.

"Tea" Minister

Tea plantations are so important for the country's economy that the parliament even established a special Tea Council. This monitoring body has no analogues in the world and is engaged in the selection of products, the sale of tea abroad, advertising and marketing. At the request of the exporter, the Tea Council conducts certification of the goods. If the package depicts a lion with a sword, then the level of quality at a height.

Tea as an element of tourism

The route through which each tourist travels to Sri Lanka is the tea plantation. Photo of the green field on which the famous Ceylon bush is grown, after visiting the island, travelers are shown to friends and acquaintances for a long time.

Tourists are advised to visit the plantations, where a plant known to the whole world grows. Sri Lanka is a country where tea is one of the main attractions. At the factory tourists are introduced to the processes of its making, and also conduct tastings, where you can try different varieties, compare the taste and aroma and buy for yourself a few favorite teas. Guide popularly explains that when choosing you need to know that the supply of products are in different forms: banks, disposable packages, boxes, but more often you can get a fake if the tea was not packaged on the island. In Kandy, tourists can visit the original Tea Museum.

Work on plantations

The process of making tea begins with the collection of young shoots: two upper leaves and a still closed kidney. The collection is repeated every week and lasts a whole year. This work is considered exclusively female, but at the same time is difficult and difficult. Despite this, it is rather difficult to find a job on the plantation, and this is mostly a family matter. To get one kilogram of tea, you need to collect four kilograms of tea leaves.

Black and Green

Shrubs are all the same in variety. Both green and black look make from one raw material. The difference is determined by the technology of tea production. Black - wilted and fermented, and green - steamed or fried. If you plan to get the first option, then after harvesting the collected leaves must be wilted. As a result of drying the sheets, the concentration of cell sap is increased in them. The product is dried by spreading a thin layer on the shelves, where the air can freely circulate, not allowing the leaves to rot. If during the process of wilting outdoors the humidity is high, the fans are additionally switched on, and the warm air ensures a full drying. For 8-10 hours, the leaf wilts, becomes soft, does not break and loosely curls.

Twisting is the next point in the technology of creating a product. It is necessary to ensure that the cellular structure of the leaf is destroyed, the enzymes and juices are mixed. Fermentation and oxidation give your favorite drink flavor and taste. The degree of its strength is determined by the way of twisting - the closer it is, the stronger the tea will be. Twisted fermented leaves are sent to the shelves for several hours, so that they are saturated with oxygen, get the dark color, which is well known to everyone, and also acquired characteristic tartness of taste.

After fermentation, the leaves are dried with hot air. They dry up in size by about a quarter and may darken even more. The result is a tea semifinished product, consisting of tea leaves, different in size and quality. To make tea homogeneous, it is sieved, obtaining such groups as large-leaf, broken, and also tea crumbs. These groups differ in quality and appearance.
After sorting, the product is weighed, packaged and sent for sale. Sri Lanka mainly produces varieties of black tea of the traditional brewing method. Ceylon is supplied to one and a half hundred countries of the world.

The value of a fragrant drink

Tea since its spread in Europe has become an indispensable part of the traditions and cultures of many countries. It has a positive effect on the nervous system, can tone up or soothe, raise the mood and quench your thirst.
Quality tea must be stored in a sealed package - a glass or tin can, and separately from spices and other highly smelling substances, because the leaves will absorb foreign smells, which neutralizes their quality.

Culture of tea drinking

To brew a miracle drink you need to take water with the least content of minerals and salts. The leaves are flooded with water, which only reached the boiling point. Long boiling water takes oxygen, so the flavor and taste of real tea is not revealed. The kettle and cups should be well warmed up. When brewing you need to take leaves in the calculation of one teaspoon per person. Tea is infused for five minutes and then mixed in a kettle with a spoon.

Real gold

In the 19th century, the cultivation of coffee on Sri Lankan plantations replaced Indian and Chinese tea, and due to climatic and geographical conditions, careful care and the processing of the finished sheet, it became the best in the world. Huge amounts of gifts of tea plantations diverge around the world, and the quality of the product is universally recognized in the first place. Tea plantations are one of the main attractions of Ceylon, and tea is the gold of the island.