Under Dutch rulers, Ceylon started out as a country with cinnamon plantations. However, when Britain took over the country, private cinnamon plantations were prohibited. This change was made for financial reasons to create a monopoly for the East India Company, owned by Britain.
When cinnamon plantation owners lost money in economic bad times in 1833, the cash crop became coffee. This ended in 1869 when a fungal disease called Coffee Rust Disease wiped out the coffee crop. But bad fortune is just an opportunity in disguise.
Tea plants were brought to Ceylon as early as 1824 by the British but it wasn't until 1867 when James Taylor, a British planter started the first tea plantation at the Loolecondera estate in Ceylon. His plantation was 21 acres. Five years later, he built a complete factory and one year after that, he began selling tea in London.
Opportunity Knocks and Ceylon Grabs It
Shortly after that, coffee plantations were turned into Ceylon tea plantations. By 1888, tea plantation acreage increased by 21000%. Tea plantation owners sent representatives to make a debut at the Chicago World Fair in 1893 and sold a record one million tea packets. The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and Ceylon Tea Traders Association were formed in the late 1800s and these two organizations still exist as a resource for Ceylon tea businesses. Businessmen realized that research is always the cornerstone of innovation and soon established a Tea Research Institute that would give the best tips at growing and harvesting Ceylon loose tea and tea bags.
Worldwide Demand
In 1903, Ceylon loose tea was being transported to worldwide destinations. The process of reaching Australia, England, America and other countries that wanted the gourmet tea was slow. Ceylon loose tea was first packaged in tea chests. Bullock carts, two-wheeled carts pulled by oxen, carried the tea chests down railroad tracks to the railroad station. The train puffed and puffed at 6 mph through the hills until it got close to its destination where the tea was to be auctioned. Next, the tea chests were boarded onto steam ships sent to their final locations.
Fast Forward to Ceylon in the 1960s
By the 1960s, Ceylon tea plantations were exporting over 200,000 metric tons. In 1965, Ceylon gained worldwide recognition as the world's largest tea exporter. In 1972, Ceylon officially became Sri Lanka.
Unfortunately, Sri Lanka government took over the industry and decided that no cultivator could have 50 acres in 1975. Despite this, Sri Lanka gained more world fame when they supplied tea to the 1980 Moscow Summer Olympic Games. The industry seemed to flourish again but the government decided to sell 23 state-owned plantations and privatize the industry.
What is Ceylon Tea?
Ceylon black, green, and white teas are all are produced in Sri Lanka. Ceylon black tea however is the country's specialty. It has a rich taste and strong aroma and has a golden yellow color. Sometimes it can be flavored with spices or orange-flavored.
Authentic Ceylon tea, whether Ceylon loose or Ceylon tea bags, have a logo of a lion carrying a sword. The logo tells you that the tea has been grown and harvested in Sri Lanka. Loose tea is always the better purchase because the leaves give you a more complex and sophisticated tasting tea.
Ceylon tea plants are grown on mountainsides at various levels above sea level. Pesticides are not used. Ceylon loose teas can include Earl Grey, English Breakfast, Green, and a variety of green teas combined with fruity flavors and flower flavors.
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