TEATIME TRIVIA

The tea industry is one of the main sources of foreign exchange for Sri Lanka, and employs over a million people directly and indirectly.

Sri Lanka is the world’s third largest producer of tea and over four percent of the island’s land area is planted with tea.

The humidity, cool temperatures and rainfall of the country’s central highlands provide a climate that favours the production of high quality tea.

The crop is best grown at altitudes of up to 2,000 metres with an annual precipitation of 1,500 to 2,500 millimetres. The principal tea growing areas are Nuwara Eliya, Dimbula, Uva and Uda Pussellawa for high grown tea; Kandy for mid-country tea; and Ruhuna and Sabaragamuwa for low country tea.

Ceylon Tea is exported to more than

40 countries around the world.

Tea is cultivated in Sri Lanka using the contour planting method where tea bushes are planted in lines, in coordination with the contours of the land – usually on slopes.

The leaves are skilfully picked by hand – this ensures that the coarse leaves and twigs, which dilute the flavour of the tea, aren’t mixed (this is one of the reasons why Ceylon Tea is considered superior).

Ceylon black tea has a crisp citrus aroma. It’s one of the country’s specialities and is grown on numerous estates, which vary in altitude and location.

Ceylon green tea is mainly made from Assamese tea stock – it’s grown in Idalgashinna, in the Uva Province. This tea usually has a nuttier flavour and fuller body. Ceylon white tea is also known as ‘silver tips’ – it’s highly prized and has a light delicate liquoring with a pine and honey flavour.