Tea and Pesticides part 3: how to avoid heavily sprayed tea

1. The relationship between wild grown tea plants and pests
2. How modern tea farming amplify the pest and disease problems,
3. What pesticides they use to treat the problems,
4. As a consumer how to avoid heavily sprayed tea



There are several ways you can easily reduce your pesticide exposure

1. Buy spring tea - Spring teas are generally less contaminated because colder winter and early spring seasons have less pest activity and disease occurrence.  Many farmers manage with no spray at all.  Major tea pests for spring tips are aphids.  
2. Taste the difference - Heavy fertilizer application tends to allow plants to grow out of proportion and can attract more pests and disease.  Learn to taste the fertilizer.  Any professionally trained tea educator should know this.  
3. Growing environment - Learn about farm environment.  Higher altitude has different pests and disease.  Tea typically prefers cool, moist environment.  If tea is grown in dry hot area, they tend to experience more scales, mites and beetles.  If too wet with not enough air circulation, fungal disease may be more prevalent.  
4. Know your farmer - Learn where your tea comes from and how it is treated.  If you can directly talk to them, it is easier to get an idea if the farmer cares about their crops.
5. Visit the farm - If tea farmers don't mind, and many organic farmers are actually proud to show off their extensive care for their crops, visit the farm and observe the plants.  Especially pay close attention to minor occurrence of pests and disease, which never go out of proportion, beneficial insects and many other wildlife present in the field.
6. Buy organic tea - Organic doesn't mean no pesticides, but instead of using toxic chemicals, pesticides derived from natural sources, ex. garlic or chili oil, may be used.

Because farmers are people, there are some not so honest farmers out there too.  Be careful when talking about sensitive issues like pesticides and organic.  Many farmers who want to sell their tea conveniently forget to mention what they use, or outright lie.  If you want to hear the truth, don't put words into their mouths and don't tell them what you want to hear.  If you tell them that you are looking for organic tea without pesticides, dishonest farmers and merchants will tell you just that.  

Look for proof.  Organic certification, or any 3rd party certification.  Better yet, learn about what it takes to grow tea without pesticides.

If you want to be absolutely certain, be more knowledgeable than the farmers about pesticides and share alternative approaches.  Organize cooperative buying programs to help farmers get their share, and attend pesticide workshops.  You may see your farmer friends there and learn a thing or two.

2014 Tea Visit to Kagoshima, Japan

Overlooking the city of Kagoshima and Sakurajima volcano 

Tea has been a dominant beverage in Japan for centuries although recent years they have experienced major shift in styles of tea consumption.  I had an opportunity to visit famous tea regions in Kyushu and Okinawa to learn their way of tea production, quality control and tea as part of food culture.

Japanese are known for their politeness and perfectionism with a touch of wabi sabi (imperfect impermanent beauty) and zen in many aspects of their culture.  Maintenance of their tea fields is no exception.  Everywhere I go, tea fields are precisely manicured and the flush can be machine harvested to exactly 2 leaves and a bud.  

Large fields are very common and designed for easy harvester access.  Transport systems and processing facilities to work together in timely manner to keep the tea leaf fresh and in optimal condition.

Fukamushi (deeply steamed) Sencha 

Green tea made in Kagoshima is mostly fukamushi or deep steamed for lower astringency and a more thick green liquor and they are now developing a new style of tea making for use in the cold brew.  Cold Brew tea is especially well received in hot summer months.  I was surprised to see regions which traditionally produce lightly steamed tea are now producing fukamushi too.  

Although fukamushi is becoming more the prevalent style of sencha now, excessive fertilizer use which enhances the thick flavor can be unappealing to some people.  Mountain teas are traditionally light in flavor with a residual distinct aroma.  Some Japanese tea experts also emphasize reduced use of fertilizer (chemical or organic) to retain good aroma in green tea.  Although fertilizers increase yield and flavor their use often results is loss of aroma.  

Tea buyers sample and bid on teas at a Kagoshima tea auction.

Safety

Teas entered at the Kagoshima tea auction are all tested for volcanic ash, radiation and pesticides and records are kept for future reference.  

Due to the proximity of the Sakurajima volcano, the presence of volcanic ash is very common.  It's only a matter of which direction the wind blows and processing factories are required to wash their leaves prior to processing.  

Is it safe?  This is ultimately for the consumers to decide.  Kagoshima has not seen any tea affected by radiation unlike Shizuoka and Sayama.  The Japanese government prohibits the use of dangerous pesticides.  Perhaps the question we should be asking is "Is Japanese green tea beneficial to our health and well being?" 

Challenges in Japanese Tea Industry

Efficiency in Japan's tea production has lowered their production cost and increased their yield dramatically.  At the same time, efficiency and perfectionism in farming encourages farmers to spray frequently to avoid crop pests and disease.

A challenge of todays fast lifestyle is that younger generations are drifting away from tradition, and this lowers traditional tea consumption in favor of bottled RTD (Ready-To-Drink) teas.  Now people who do not want to pay for a cup of traditional tea but may still pay for convenient tea.   

While some Japanese tea cafes are reviving old traditions and adding new dimensions to the Japanese tea culture, a major shift is still needed to change the way Japanese see tea culture.  A lifestyle change may even be necessary to re-discover slow foods, bringing a re-invention of the traditional tea time.