Different Techniques Employed in Harvesting Of Tea

In general, there are two different ways of harvesting. These are fine plucking and course plucking. Both of these methods are executed manually for the reason that machines may harm the leaves to such a level that they may become useless.

In the method of fine plucking, only the bud, second and third leaves are harvested, which ensures maximum one can get from the harvest of tea. This kind of harvesting tea leads to tea with exceptionally fine and delicate flavor. In coarse plucking, the bud is harvested but it comprises of more than two leaves during harvesting. The resultant tea supplied by many tea suppliers in India is more strongly flavored than that of fine plucking. In the process of harvesting of tea, there are two types of harvests produced every year. There is "First Flush" that is done in early spring and the "second flush" that is done in summer.

The favorable conditions for the growth, and therefore, harvesting this beverage are normally at high elevations with sufficient amount of rainfall. The perfect climate for growing this drink also requires cooler mornings with a light fog to help protect the plants from the sun because the excessive sunlight slows down the maturity process of tea. In addition, the growth also needs a land with high acidic concentration in the soil. An ideal harvest from a tea plant is usually around twenty five hundred to three thousand tea leaves every year. This amount of tea leaves when completely processed only gives approximately half a kilogram of tea which is then supplied in loose form and tea bags packaging. Nowadays most tea is grown on plantations, with India, China and Sri Lanka being the leading tea exporters in the world.