Tea Farm, Sri Lanka by Asiatravel.com

Asiatravel.com offers over 500,000 Hotels, Flights, Travel Packages, Tours & Attractions up to 75% discount. All with last minute availability & instant confirmation plus up to 5% cash rebate exclusively for our customers. For more information visit http://www.asiatravel.com Tea production in Sri Lanka, formely Ceylon, is of high importance to the Sri Lankan economy and the world market. The country is the world's third largest producer of tea and the industry is one of the country's main sources of foreign exchange and a significant source of income for laborers, with tea accounting for 15% of the GDP, generating roughly $700 million annually. Sri Lanka was the world's leading exporter of tea (rather than producer) with 23% of the total world export in 1995 but has since been surpassed by Kenya. The tea sector employs, directly or indirectly over 1 million people in Sri Lanka, and in 1995 directly employed 215,338 on tea plantations and estates. The central highlands of the country, low temperature climate throughout the year, annual rainfall and the level of humidity are more favorable geographical factors for production in high quality tea. The industry was introduced to the country in 1867 by James Taylor, the British planter who arrived in 1852.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7] The major tea growing areas are Kandy and Nuwara Eliya in Central Province, Badulla, Bandarawela and Haputale in Uva Province, Galle, Matara and Mulkirigala in Southern Province, Sri Lanka, and Ratnapura and Kegalle in Sabaragamuwa Province. There are mainly six principal regions planting tea. Nuwara Eliya, Dimbula, Kandy Uda Pussellawa, Uva Province and South.[27] Nuwara Eliya is an oval shaped plateau of 6,240 feet of elevation. Nuwara Eliya tea produces a unique flavour. Dimbula is one the first areas to be planted from 1870's. Height of ranging between 3500 ft to 5000 ft defines this planting area.[28] South-western monsoon rain and cold weather from January to March are determining factors of flavour. Eight Subdistricts of Dimbula are Hatton/Dickoya, Bogawanthalawa, Upcot/Maskeliya, Patana/Kotagala, Nanu Oya/Lindula/Talawakele, Agarapatana, Pundaluoya and Ramboda. Kandy is famous for Mid-grown tea. The first tea plantations were grown here. Tea plantations located 2000 ft to 4000 ft.[28]Pussellawa/Hewaheta and Matale are the two main subdistricts of the region. Between Nuwara Eliya and Uva Province, Uda Pussellawa situated. Northwest monsoon prevails in this region. Plantations near Nuwara Eliya have a range of rosy teas. The two subdistricts comprised are Maturata and Ragala/Halgranoya. Uva area's tea have quite a distinctive flavour and widely used for blends. Tea plantations elevation rage from 3000 ft to 5000 ft.[28] Being a large district Uva has a number of subdistricts, Malwatte/Welimada, Demodara/Hali-Ela/Badulla, Passara/Lunugala, Madulsima, Ella/Namunukula, Bandarawela/Poonagala, Haputale, Koslanda/Haldummulla. Low-grown tea is mainly originates from southern Sri Lanka. These teas grown from sea level to 2000 ft, thrive in fertile soils and warm conditions.[28] These areas spread across four main subdistricts, Ratnapura/Balangoda, Deniyaya, Matara, Galle. The high-grown tea thrive in above 1200m of elevation and warm climate and sloping terrain.[28] Hence this type is common in Central highlands.[29] Mid-grown tea is found in 600m-1200m altitude range. Various types of tea is blended to obtain required flavour and colour. Uva Province, and Nuwara Eliya, Dimbuala and Dickoya are the area mid-grown tea originate. Low-grown tea is stronger and less-subtle in taste and produced in Galle, Matara and Ratnapura areas. Info Taken from Wikipedia.com Credits to Wikipedia.com http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea_production_in_Sri_Lanka Main