Module 3 – Traditional Tea Manufacturing

There is a story in tea that is inspiring in its expression. It is a tale that starts with a tiny seedling which evolves through the influence of soil, rainfall, sunshine, temperature and the skill of the tea planter. Eventually it offers the tender green shoots of the now matured Camellia sinensis plant, which are then skillfully harvested by hand. The story spans thousands of hectares and millions of lives in Ceylon’s famous tea country, known as the home of the world’s finest tea. Major brands have abandoned the traditional, centuries-old method of making tea for a new “fast track” process, which sacrifices the character and taste of real tea. Dilmah remains faithful to traditional and authentic tea. That’s why Dilmah tea tastes so different.

The Nursery

The life of a tea plant begins with a cutting being taken from a suitable ‘mother plant’, that is a strong plant which has been carefully selected, and it will be one year to 15 months before the new bushes are planted out in the fields. When the plants are approximately a year old they are ready for planting. Great care is taken to prepare the soil in the areas due to be replanted to prevent the spread of diseases and to ensure the soil is as fertile as possible.

A tea bush can produce tea for 50 to 70 years but, after 50 years, the yields will tend to reduce. Therefore the new plants from the nursery will be used to replace older plants as well as plants which have been affected by disease.