The illustration illustrates the process of black tea production using both traditional and modern methods. Overall, this production can be divided into four core stages, namely tea cultivation and harvesting, processing, fermentation, and firing.
The process begins with the cultivation of tea. When reaching ideal maturity, only the bud and two top leaves are hand-picked to ensure good quality of the tea. Harvested leaves are then spread on racks, and fans are used to dry them more quickly. When they have lost about 60% of their moisture, the leaves are ready for the next treatment.
Dry tea leaves continue to be processed by either the traditional method or the modern one, depending on the final product. Regarding the former, which is often used to make loose tea, leaves are rolled flat and broken, a key step that helps release enzymes from the leaves. The latter mainly involves cutting, in which the leaves are cut, turned, and curled so as to create smaller granular pieces suitable for producing tea bags.
Following the processing stage is tea leaf fermentation, also regarded as oxidization. In this stage, rolled leaves are spread on tiles or cement until they change to a copper color as a result of the natural chemical reaction between enzymes from the leaves and the air. Progressively, the well-fermented leaves undergo firing and drying in ovens or hot air dryers, releasing up to 97% of moisture. The flavor and aroma from the fired leaves are released, making tea readily available for commercial purposes.