The Hands Behind Premium Quality Ceylon Tea
Do you know that high grown tea is lighter in colour, while low grown tea are darker in colour? The smaller the particles of tea leaves, the stronger the taste and darker the colour; the larger the tea particles, the milder the taste and lighter the colour.
The premium quality of Ceylon tea lies in the hands that work behind the scenes. From plucking, processing, to manufacturing of the tea, there are 1 million people working in the tea planation sector to create the premium quality tea. So the tea you are enjoying comes from hard labour and perspiration of numerous people!
Ceylon tea is the symbol of Sri Lanka. So, what’s behind a cup of Ceylon tea?
You are probably still in your sweet dreams at 5 am. But imagine: normal day of a tea plucker starts at around 5am, with mothers waking up to cook breakfast and prepare their children for school. Tea pluckers to brace strong winds, the cool weather and the Sri Lankan monsoon rain, plucking around 18 to 20 kilos of tea every day, carrying their bags on their heads, or on their shoulders. Workers are paid only half the ordinary wage, if the plucking quota is not met.Their hard earned wages is still difficult for some to make ends meet.
Working on the steep slopes, workers could easily slip and fall with their usual attire of slippers (or sometimes without) and rexine. Exposed ankles are prone to leech bites, as leeches are common in the field, especially in the wet rainy seasons. In comparison to our working condition under the air conditioner, the wide range of employee benefits and all safety precautions, shall we give a helping hand?
To protect the workers, various tea certifications are created to guarantee a better quality of life for workers in the tea estates. Learn the promises behind the labels and logos on your tea, show your care to the ones who contributed to the fine tea. When you look at the pack of tea, it is never going to be the same again; it is more than a product, but the people who work hard to support their family and make you the finest beverage.
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