How Does Tea Plucking Affect The Tea Quality? Everyone starts their morning with a cup of hot tea. Almost every household consumes tea around the world, mainly in cold areas. Better tea quality helps us start our day on a better note. The procedure of tea production is the most important. From planting the tea leaves to packing the tea in the tea bags and sending it to the wholesalers, shops, malls, etc, every step is crucial and decides the quality of the tea.
The tea production process involves many steps. Harvesting or plucking the tea leaves for the next process is the most crucial step and requires a professional to perform it. We will look at how tea plucking affects the tea quality, and then will discuss the correct methods of tea plucking.
What is Tea Plucking?
Tea plucking is the process of detaching the tea leaves from the tea plant. After further processing, manufacturers ship the tea leaves to consumers. Picking up the right tea leaves is a crucial step. Many things matter when we pluck the tea leaves. The timing, weather, and many other things. We will discuss this in brief and will have a look at how using the wrong practices for tea plucking can affect the quality of tea.
What is the perspective of scientists on tea plucking?
According to research, tea plucking standards have a direct bearing on both quality and yield, thus proving that tea plucking is not merely harvesting; it is a foundation for tea quality.
- Plucking standard: Two leaves and a bud, a combination of quality and yield.
- Plucking of tender leaves is rich in caffeine, catechins, and polyphenols, thus giving it a more flavoursome taste.
- Fine plucking ensures a high-quality tea product, giving a stronger flavour.
- Make sure you pick good, tender leaves, as it affects the quality of tea.
What are the different types of tea plucking and their impact?
| Premium quality | · Bud and 2 tender leaves
· High aroma, smooth taste and recognised as premium tea · Darjeeling, green tea and speciality tea |
| Medium Plucking | · Bud and 3 leaves
· Moderate quality tea · Commercial tea production |
| Low quality | · Mature leaves and stems
· Less aromatic tea · CTC tea |
How does Tea plucking affect the tea quality?
- Whenever the harvesting season arrives, the harvester needs to pick only the soft and young leaves. Tea plants have leaves of different sizes. The workers should pluck the leaves that appear small in size. They are high in quality.
- Workers often pluck the topmost leaves and buds from the tea plant for further processing. This part of the plant is rich in many different oils, antioxidants, and compounds that benefit our mind and body. Choosing the incorrect leaves for harvesting will affect the quality of the final product.
- The time of year or day when tea leaves are plucked significantly influences the quality. Pluckers harvest young leaves for their higher nutrient content and youthfulness. Bigger and older leaves have a strong flavour and are lower in quality than the smaller ones.
- We all know that tea leaves are rich in nutrients, which are very important for our bodies. The fragrance of the tea is its USP. If we pluck the tea leaves early means the leaves are small in size. This implies they will have a rich aromatic fragrance compared to the bigger leaves.
- Tea leaves contain many chemical compounds that enhance the quality of the tea. They have catechins and other important chemicals that can be beneficial for us. The small leaves have a greater presence of these compounds as compared to the large leaves.
- Exposing the tea leaves to air is also another factor. They should be exposed at the right time so that they can enhance their quality. Early exposure or delayed exposure can demean the quality of the tea produced.
Other Factors Affecting The Quality of Tea
- The time during the year when tea is plucked is crucial, and tea producers mainly harvest or produce tea in moderate climates. Not too hot and not too cold.
- Water is also a crucial factor in the quality. During production, the water used to sprinkle on the tea leaves should be of good quality. Low-quality water with harsh chemicals may affect the tea.
- The method of tea plucking is also important. There are different ways to do so. One can use the machines to pluck, plucking tools, or can also use one’s hands. Cost varies in different techniques used. One can use any of the listed methods according to their affordability. Tea producers mainly use the hand-plucking method to ensure better quality.
- Also, the time between plucking the leaves matters. If the harvester takes more time between two conductive plucks, then it decreases the quality of the leaves. So the time interval between the tea plucking should be low so that it retains its aroma and flavours.
- Experienced tea pluckers should possess the skill of properly harvesting the tea. Tea is superior when plucked in a certain way. The process of tearing the leaves from the plant should be very gentle. Minimum pressure should be applied. Applying more pressure can cause the bud to be damaged. Only the experienced should be chosen.
- The production height of the tea also impacts the quality of the tea. The tea produced at a higher altitude is better than the tea grown at sea level.
- Tea harvesting involves mainly fine and coarse plucking techniques. In fine plucking, pickers pluck only the fresh and new leaves, while in coarse plucking, they harvest old and not-so-fresh leaves.. Harvester easily identifies the difference between leaves and plucks accordingly.
Timing of plucking tea leaves
- Tea is usually plucked every 5 to 7 days to maintain quality.
- For fresh and flavorful tea, ensure plucking is frequent
- Overgrown leaves reduce the quality
Hand plucking vs Machine plucking
| Method | Quality | Cost | Usage |
| Hand Picking | High | Expensive | Premium tea |
| Machine Picking | Medium | Cost effective | Bulk Production |
Conclusion
Tea is an important ritual and part of the Indian household. Consumed almost in every corner of the world, tea has enormous health benefits and helps relax the mind. Alexa tea is the most reputed brand where the tea plucking techniques are standard. They have hired the best tea pluckers with decades of experience. All Indian households favour Alexa tea for its quality of tea leaves. Choosing Alexa tea for daily tea consumption is the best decision one can make.
FAQs
How many times do tea leaves need to be plucked?
Tea needs to be plucked every 5-7 days for consistent quality and growth.
What happens if the tea leaves plucked are delayed?
Delays in plucking tea leaves result in mature tea leaves, which decrease tea taste, fragrance, and quality.
Will climate influence tea plucking quality?
Yes, climate is an important factor in tea plucking. Weather conditions such as temperature, rainfall, and humidity influence tea leaf growth and quality, which affects tea quality.
Which types of tea leaves need to be plucked carefully?
Tea varieties such as Darjeeling, white tea, and green tea need to be plucked carefully for their taste and fragrance.
Why is selective plucking done in tea farming?
Selective plucking is done in tea farming to ensure only healthy tea leaves free from pests are plucked. quality standards.
