Sri Lankan Tea Production: Tea Education at Kadugannawa Tea Factory

Sri Lanka prides itself as one the world’s top producers of tea alongside India and Kenya. The island holds over 1,200 tea factories with 97% of its production of black Ceylon tea exported across the world.

Kandy, the 2nd largest city located in central Sri Lanka, became a tourism hub for its tea production in the late 1800s thanks to the accessibility with the British-built railway network. Today, it is still a popular destination for tourists seeking to learn about the country’s tea production.

 

Kadugannawa Tea Factory

Tea Factory Tour

Kadugannawa Tea Factory offers visitors a free tour of their facilities. The guides cater to your preferred language in a private 40 minute tour which details the tea’s cultivation, production, and distribution. While the factory and visitors are touristy, it is not a total trap where you feel that awkward obligation to make a purchase.

The best of the best. While black teas are most known in Sri Lanka, it is these Silver Tips and Golden Tips white teas that are the most prized in the country. The teas are minimally processed and simply sun-dried without any fermentation
The factory tour takes visitors through each step of the tea production process from picking to withering to drying and sorting. The guide also explains how the leaves are processed while the stems are made into compost

 

Types of Sri Lankan Teas

The best part of the tour is that you will actually receive a proper education about the entire tea production and the types of teas produced in Sri Lanka.

Orange Pekoe – Turns orange when steeped in hot water. First press, Light black tea

Flowering Pekoe – Opens as a flower when steeped. First press, Medium Light black tea

B.O.P. – Broken Orange Pekoe. Medium Strong black tea, consume without milk

B.O.P.F. – Broken Orange Pekoe Fanning. Fanning meaning fine from the extra grinding. Strong black tea, consume with milk during breakfast

Dust – Third press, low quality from stems. Strongest black tea.

Green Tea – From the same leaves as black tea, but does not undergo the fermentation process

Golden Tips & Silver Tips – Non-processed white teas that are considered the healthiest of the teas

A breakdown of the teas. The guide details each of these teas and how they are categorized and best consumed. Silver tips, golden tips, and green tea are considered herbal medicinal teas; while black teas are considered a beverage

 

Kadugannawa Tea Factory
No. 167, Colombo Road
Kadugannawa, Kandy
+94-82-154-251

 


 
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