TEA PROCESSING OPERATIONS
At Thumaita Tea Factory, freshly harvested tea leaves undergo careful, efficient processing to preserve their natural quality, flavour, and character.
Our modern processing operations follow strict quality standards, from receiving green leaf through processing, grading, and packaging, ensuring consistently high-quality tea products.
Withering
Fresh green leaf moisture is reduced under controlled airflow and temperature to achieve optimal pliability prior to CTC processing.
Key Controls: Airflow • Temperature • Time
CTC Processing (Cut-Tear-Curl)
Leaf is mechanically cut, torn and curled to uniform particle sizes, ensuring consistency required for export blending and brewing performance.
Key Controls: Roller pressure • Feed rate • Particle size
Fermentation (Oxidation)
Oxidation is carefully timed and monitored to develop colour, aroma and strength characteristics specific to each tea grade.
Key Controls: ime • Temperature • Humidity
Drying (Firing)
High-temperature drying halts oxidation and reduces moisture to safe storage levels, stabilising flavour and shelf life.
Key Controls: Inlet temperature • Outlet temperature • Residence time
Sorting & Grading
Tea is mechanically and manually graded into BP1, PF1, PD, D1 and secondary grades based on particle size and density.
Key Controls: ieve size • Density separation • Visual inspection
Packing & Dispatch
Finished tea is packed, labelled and documented to ensure full traceability and compliance with buyer and export specifications.
Key Controls: Moisture verification • Batch coding • Documentation checks