Tea in Sri Lanka

Originally known for generations as “Ceylon,” Sri Lanka became the country’s official name in 1972. Sri Lanka has cool temperatures and heavy rainfall, which gives it the perfect climate for harvesting tea. Sri Lanka was introduced to Tea in the 1800’s by James Taylor, he began a tea plantation in Kandy and started manufacturing tea.

The landscape in Sri Lanka is perfect for tea harvesting. Their cooler temperatures, humidity, and heavy rainfall in the central highlands provides a favorable climate for producing high-quality tea. Tea grown are broadly grouped according to their elevations, with high grown tea sourced from tea plantations found from 1200 m upwards; medium grown tea from estates scattered between 600 m to 1200 m and low grown tea from sea level up to 600 m.

The main tea growing areas are Nuwera Eliya, Kandy, Central Province, Bandarawela, Haputale, Uva Province, Galle, Matara, Southern Province, Ratnapura, Kegalle, Sabaragamuwa Province. Each area produces a slightly different-tasting tea. All Sri Lankan tea manufacturers, like Dilmah and Halpe, offer their tea in loose leaf or pyramid tea bag presentations. The best tea are gathered from late June to the end of August in the eastern districts and fron the beginning of February to mid-March in western districts.

Tea is one of the primary sources of foreign exchange, and in 2013, it contributed over $1.5 billion to the economy. The country produces tea throughout the year and the total tea production is about 340 million kilograms per annum.

Sri Lanka offers a variety of teas, but Ceylon black tea is their specialty. Ceylon black tea is considered the cleanest tea in the world, free of harmful pesticides or additives. To make black tea, the leaves are hand plucked by the masterful female tea pluckers.

It is often brewed on its own or as a blend, and has a fresh, citrusy aroma reminiscent of juicy grapefruit. The high-grown black tea has a honey golden liquor and light and is among the best teas which has a distinct flavor, aroma and strength. The low-grown tea has a burgundy brown liquor and stronger in taste. Sri Lankans drink black tea very strong with milk and sugar. The tea of choice in most households is the strong black tea, commonly called “Ceylon Tea”.
Tea in Sri Lanka

Ceylon tea

Ceylon teas are basically Sri Lankan teas. Ceylon enjoys some martial advantages concerning the suitability of the tea plant to its specific features. Climate and plantation altitudes are very favorable to the growth of tea on the island.

Ceylon tea varies considerably in flavor according to the elevation and district in which the estate is situated.

Teas from the estates in the low country have practically no distinctive flavor; while a choice flavor is produced by estates of medium elevation, and a very choice lemon favor is characteristics of tea grown in certain areas and in districts more than 6,000 feet above sea level.

Humid air and ample rainfall furthered the development of the plant and shortened the growing period. Usually it takes between three and six years until the tea shrub finally becomes productive. But under favorable conditions Ceylon teas can be plucked for the first time after two (lower elevations) to five years (higher elevations).

Most of Ceylon’s tea production takes part in two areas in the South West of the country at between 3000 and 8000 feet above sea-level.

Ceylon tea is widely acknowledged as the finest in the world. Ceylon planters consider their product more carefully plucked, culled and prepared and Ceylon’s tea is known as a high quality product that regularly fetches a premium price on the world market for most grades.

In general terms a good quality black Ceylon tea will deliver a bright golden color and a brisk, crisp taste with reminiscence of citrus.
Ceylon tea

History of tea in Sri Lanka

Tea plants did not figure among the local flora in the island of Sri Lanka, until the early nineteenth century when several entrepreneurs used their estates as test plots.

Tea was introduced by British when tea estates were laid out and first managed by the large tea companies who exported their produce to consuming countries.

Tea brush was introduced to Sri Lanka as early as in 1828. Maurice de Worms of Rothschild Estate was the first to put the tea bush to commercial use in Sri Lanka.

He planted a clearing at Labookellie with Chinese tea, but the venture turned out to be a financial failure due to the high production cost and the inferior quality of the product.

In 1839, Dr Wallich, head of the botanical garden in Calcutta sent several Assam tea plant seeds to Peradeniya estates near Kandy.

Usually the credit for introducing the cultivation of tea to the island is given to James Taylor, who planted tea of the Assamese variety on Loolecondera state in 1867. James Taylor, a Scottish using tea seeds supplied by Peradeniya nursery for first cultivation.

Taylor then set up the first tea ‘factory’ on the island. The tea produced was a success which later was sold locally at Rs 1.5 per Lb.

The first consignment of Ceylonese tea was sent abroad in 1873. Tea cultivation nevertheless remained a minor activity for 20 years.

In 1970, the production came under the control of the Sri Lankan government’s Estate Development Board and tea was sold at tea auctions in Colombo to the distributing companies.
History of tea in Sri Lanka