value-chain

PROMOTING PEOPLE

VALUE CHAIN

Sustainable agriculture must be profitable. On the output side, this will involve producing the optimum amount of high quality product per unit area, minimising costs/waste and adding value wherever possible. Consumer concerns about food safety, environmental performance and social responsibility must be satisfied.

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Good Practice

Profitability Optimise yield, taking into account safety, quality and costs, to maximise margins. Harvesting efficiency, the choice of harvesting standards and the application of Good Manufacturing Practices in primary tea processing are important for maximising product value. If semi-mechanical or mechanical harvesting is adopted, ensure that product quality is not negatively impacted. Product Quality Field harvesting and leaf transport should be optimised to ensure all harvested leaf is acceptable for tea manufacture. Foreign matter, including leaves from shade, wind-breaks and Eucalyptus trees, should never be present in harvested leaf. Unacceptable pesticide residues should never be present in harvested leaf. Factory systems need to ensure that high quality tea, free from over-firing, under-firing or taint is produced all the time. All tea products must be within legal or trade standard limits for microbial contamination, and free from heavy metals, significant foreign bodies and any substances potentially harmful to consumers. Potential Areas For Improvement Increase the value by developing products specifically for high-value markets. Systematically address customer/consumer complaints or concerns, and strive for continuous improvement in product quality that will give competitive advantage. For the out-grower, the factory should be seen as the customer. Plant breeding needs to continue in order to develop highly efficient, high value planting material for the future.

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