Tea is a stimulant. The consumption of the tea is increasing. The tea is available in the form of the leaves. These green leaves are processed to make the tea. It is some time blended also. The tea farms are there in West Bengal, Assam, Kerala states in India. The tea manufacturers purchased the farms in auction. Agencies fixed the leaf price for the auction. This time the price is the lowest in 2018, so far.
The Tea Board of India has announced that the district average price for the green leaf supplied by small growers in The Nilgiris during June will be ₹12.60 a kg.
The Deputy Director of Tea Development CS Hariprakash has instructed all bought-leaf factories in the district to adhere to this price while buying green leaf from farmers till June 30.
Fresh Tea leaves are shiny and green with slightly serrated edges. Growing up to 10 centimeters in length, the elliptical leaves tend to have hairy undersides, and form in alternating pattern along the stem. Fresh Tea leaves have a bitter taste with herbal grassy notes, and may offer a tannic mouthfeel when steeped. Fresh Tea leaves grow on the tea plant, which is an evergreen perennial plant that can grow up to 9 meters tall. For ease of harvesting, the plant is pruned around the 4-meter mark. The light green, young tea leaves are generally used for culinary applications and for tea production.
Fresh Tea leaves are available year-round.
All tea, be it, white, green, oolong, Darjeeling or black, comes from the same plant, the Camellia sinensis. The two main varieties of the plant that are commercially cultivated are Camellia sinensis var. sinensis (Chinese tea), and C. sinensis var. assamica (Assam or Indian tea). Chinese tea is cultivated in China, Taiwan, Japan, and parts of Darjeeling. Chinese tea is delicate, with smaller leaves on the plant which are used for green, white and oolong teas. Assam tea is grown in India, Sri Lanka, and in other parts of the world. The Assam tea plant produces large leaves with a strong flavor, and are used for black teas. Fresh Tea leaves are found around the world, and are most often steamed or dried and then used for drinking.
Fresh Tea leaves contain catechins, which have beneficial effects on cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure. Thus, consuming tea can lower the risk of stroke. There is evidence that tea, which contains caffeine, may be protective against cognitive impairment and decline later in life. Tea leaves are a natural source of vitamins and minerals such as vitamins C and B6, carotene, thiamine and folic acid. They also contain the essential minerals potassium, manganese and fluoride.
Fresh Tea leaves are not used raw, and are usually processed immediately after being harvested, as they wilt quickly. They may be withered, dried, steamed and fermented to make loose tea leaves for brewing as a beverage. Dried tea leaves may also be used for cooking smoked dishes, such as tea-smoked chicken and duck. Tea leaf eggs, in which eggs are boiled in a tea-infused liquid, are a popular Chinese dish. In Japan, the spent tea leaves of high-quality teas, such as gokuru, may be dipped in a simple soy or ponzu sauce and eaten. Fresh Tea leaves may be fermented - a process that can take several months to many years. In Myanmar, fermented tea leaves are used in a flavorful salad called Lahpet Thote, which also features lime juice, peanuts, sesame seeds, chili peppers, pounded shrimp and sugar. Fermented tea leaves are gaining popularity around the world, and ready-made fermented tea leaves be found in specialty shops in the United Kingdom and the United States. Fresh Tea leaves that are unprocessed are most often found in tea plantations and estates. Whether fresh or dried, tea leaves are best stored in airtight containers, away from moisture, light and strong odors. Like other delicate plants such as mint, Fresh Tea leaves may store well in the freezer in vacuum-sealed bags.
Last month, the Board had fixed ₹14.50 a kg as the average price but soon lowered it to ₹14/kg.
Still, The Nilgiri Bought Leaf Tea Manufacturers’ Association (TNBLTMA) announced the stoppage by its members of the purchase of leaf as the price factories got at the auctions for the teas manufactured with this leaf was falling uncontrollably.
After the Board’s interference, factories resumed the purchase.
It was, therefore, widely believed that the Board would substantially reduce the average price for June.
Now, it has fixed a price which is the lowest so far in 2018.
