TEA FARMING / TEA CULTIVATION | How Tea Powder is Made

Summary

This video explores the journey of tea from plant to packaging. It explains how tea is grown from the *Camellia sinensis* plant, harvested by hand, and processed in factories. The script covers key stages such as withering, oxidation, drying, and grading of the tea leaves. It also highlights the importance of climate and location in determining the flavor of tea. The process ends with the tea being packed into large sacks for distribution. The video emphasizes the dedication and care required to produce high-quality tea while encouraging viewers to share and subscribe to the channel.

Takeaways

• 😀 Tea comes from the leaves of an evergreen bush called camellia, and various types of tea (black, green, white) are made from the same plant.
• 😀 The color and flavor of tea depend on the climate, location, and the processing method used.
• 😀 Tea plants thrive in warm climates with plenty of rain.
• 😀 Tea plants can be started from seeds or cuttings, with cuttings being more common in India.
• 😀 Tea seedlings are grown under protective conditions, like poly tunnels, for about 10 months until they reach 60 cm tall.
• 😀 After 3 years, tea bushes mature enough to start being harvested.
• 😀 In India, tea is harvested year-round by hand, with only the two newest leaves and the bud being picked.
• 😀 Workers pick tea at waist height to ensure easier access to the new leaves every 7 to 15 days.
• 😀 After harvest, tea leaves are transported to a processing house where they are dried, flattened, and undergo oxidation to develop flavor.
• 😀 Tea leaves are dried at high temperatures to reduce water content from 86% to 3%, requiring 4 kg of fresh leaves to make 1 kg of dried tea.
• 😀 The processed tea is graded by size, with larger leaves used for loose-leaf tea and smaller ones for tea bags, and packed in 60-70 kg sacks lined with silver foil to preserve quality.

Q & A

What plant does tea come from?

Tea comes from the leaves of an evergreen bush called Camellia sinensis.

How are black, green, and white tea different if they come from the same plant?

The differences in black, green, and white tea arise from the climate and location where the tea is grown, as well as the way the tea is processed after harvest.

What conditions are ideal for tea growth?

Tea grows best in warm climates with plenty of rain.

How does a tea plant start its life?

A tea plant starts its life either as a seed or as a cutting taken from a parent plant.

How long do tea plants grow before being planted in the main fields?

Tea plants are grown in a poly tunnel for about 10 months until they reach a height of 60 cm before being planted in the main fields.

At what age do tea bushes begin to be harvested?

Tea bushes begin to be harvested after about three years of growth.

What parts of the tea bush are harvested?

Only the two newest leaves and the bud are picked from the tea bush during harvesting.

How often are tea leaves harvested?

Tea leaves are harvested every 7 to 15 days, depending on the growth rate of the plant.

What happens to the tea leaves once they are harvested?

After being harvested, the tea leaves are transported to the processing house, where they are dried, chopped, flattened, oxidized, and then dried again to reduce moisture content.

How much fresh tea leaves are needed to produce 1 kg of dried tea?

It takes 4 kg of fresh tea leaves to produce just 1 kg of dried tea leaves.