Harvesting policies of tea (Camellia sinensis L.) for higher productivity and quality

Sustainability of tea lands greatly depends on the harvesting policies, because they have a great influence on the cost of production, quality of the end product and growth of the bush. Therefore, adoption of proper harvesting policies has become a vital component in tea cultivation. In this strategy, maximizing yield components through selection of proper standards, severity and frequency of plucking and maintenance of source: sink relationship and the bush health are of paramount importance. However, adoption of good harvesting policies has been limited by shortage of workers in tea plantations, especially during heavy cropping months (rush crop). Hence, possibilities of using different management tools for minimizing the crop losses during the rush crop without affecting quality of the end product need be explored. This paper discusses some important issues and suggestions pertaining to harvesting for enhancing productivity of tea lands and quality of made tea.