PACKING AND STORAGE OF TEA

PACKING AND STORAGE OF TEA

Soon after grading and sorting has been completed the stalks and reds are picked by hand and the tea is stored in bins until sufficient quantities have accumulated to make a break. Tea after grading should not be allowed to lie exposed. Made tea falls among the class of materials known as hygroscopic substances which have a marked tendency to absorb moisture. Time and money spent on improvements in the manufacture of tea are wasted if due care is not taken over the storage of the finished teas, both in the factory and in transit. The most satisfactory moisture limit of packing is 4.5 to 6 per cent. And if tea is packed with more moisture there is a definite danger for it to “go off” in transit. It is therefore advisable to determine the moisture content of the tea before packing, and thus decide whether it is necessary to final fire or not. The importance of the moisture content testing apparatus should now be quite apparent since without it the efficiency or otherwise of the final fire cannot be determined.
It will be realized that each day’s teas will show some variation in size, quality and appearance and therefore before packing it will be necessary to bulk and mix the leaf thoroughly so that there will be uniformity and evenness in the entire break of tea packed. If this is not done, such teas run the risk of being rejected or being re-bulked at the expense of the estate concerned when tendered for sale.