TEA PLUCKING

THE PROCEDURE OF HARVESTING THE FRESH YOUNG SHOOTS FROM THE MATURE TEA BUSHES IS KNOW AS PLUCKING. EACH PLUCK TAKES ONLY THE FLUSH THE 'TWO LEAVES AND BUT'  OF TENDER AND SUCCULENT FRESH GROWTH. WITHIN ONE OR TWO WEEK, THE BUSHES GROW  NEW SHOOTS, AND IN THE TROPICAL  CLIMATE OF SRI LANKA  TEA PLUCKING GOES ON ALL YEAR ROUND. THIS FASCINATING AND SKILLED JOB IS TRADITIONALLY CARRIED OUT WOMEN, WHO ARE EXPERT AT PICKING THE SHOOTS, BREAKING THEM OFF BY TWISTING THEM OFF BY TWISTING THE LEAVES  AND BUT IN THEIR FINGERS, AND DEFTLY THROWING HANDFULS OF SHOOTS IN TO THE CARRIER BASKETS ON THEIR BACKS. TODAY, THE MEN AND BOYS ON THE ESTATES ARE OFTEN INVOLVED IN TEA HARVESTING. ALTHOUGH IN RECENT YEARS MECHANICAL PLUCKING USING SPECIALLY DESIGNED MACHINES HAS BEEN TRIED. THERE IS NO SIGN OF IT REPLACING THE SKILL AND EXPERIENCE OF THE HUMAN LABOUR  FORCE. DURING THE DAY,THE BASKETS ARE SET BY THE ROAD SIDE AND THERE  CONTENTS SORTED THROUGH TO SIFT OUT ANY STALKS OR GROWTH OTHER THAN THE FLUSH USED BE WEIGHED AND IMMEDIATELY. TRANSPORTED TO THE FACTORY BUILDING.