Golden brew from green leaves

摘要

Tea, that most civilised of beverages, has a suitably complex production that requires both a skilled workforce and experienced managers. Dr. T Mabbett explains the processes involved. The tea plant (Camellia sinensis) is very much of Asian origin and India, China and Indonesia remain amongst the world's biggest producers. Tea does best under high and uniformly distributed rainfall, with a minimal dry season and a mean annual temperature of 18-20 deg C, within a range of 12-30 deg C. Therefore, it is most at home in the tropical hills and highlands, as can be seen from its favoured distribution in southern India, Assam and Sri Lanka.