Under Dutch rulers, Ceylon began as a cinnamon planting country. However, when Britain occupied the country, private cinnamon plantations were banned. The change was made for financial reasons to create a monopoly for a UK-owned East India Company. When cinnamon growers lost money in an economically bad time in 1833, cash crops became coffee. It ended in 1869 when a fungal disease called coffee rust disease destroyed the coffee crop. But bad luck is an occasion in disguise.

Tea plants were brought to Ceylon by the British as early as 1824, but it was not until 1867 when James Taylor, the British plantation, started the first tea plantation in the Lolocoderna estate in Ceylon. They were planted on 21 acres. Five years later, he built the entire factory, and a year later, he began selling tea in London.

Opportunities get harder and Ceylon catches it

Shortly afterwards, the coffee plantations turned into a Ceylon tea garden. By 1888, the area under tea plantations had increased by 21000%. Tea planters sent delegates to the Chicago World's Fair in 1893 and sold over a million tea packets. The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and Commerce and the Ceylon Tea Traders Association were formed in the late 1800s and both of these organizations are still present as a source of business for Ceylon tea. The entrepreneurs felt that research was always the cornerstone of innovation and soon a tea research institute was established that would give the best suggestions for growing and cutting Ceylon Loose Tea and premium Ceylon tea bags.

Worldwide demand of Ceylon tea

In 1903, Ceylon Tea Australia was transported to destinations around the world. Our process was slow to reach Strelia, England, the US and other countries who want gourmet tea. The Ceylon Loose Tea was first packaged in tea umbrellas. A bullock cart pulled from an ox cart, two wheeled carts used to drink tea on the railway tracks below the railway tracks. The train passed through the hills at 6 miles until tea was about to be auctioned. Thereafter, the tea twigs rode in steam vessels to send to their final destinations.

Fast forward to Ceylon in the 1960s

By the 1960s, Ceylon tea plantations were exporting more than 200,000 metric tons. In 1965, Ceylon was recognized worldwide as the world's largest tea exporter. In 1972, Ceylon officially became Sri Lanka.

Unfortunately, the Sri Lankan government took over the industry and decided that in 1975 no farmer could afford 50 acres. Despite this, Sri Lanka gained more world fame by supplying tea at the 1980 Moscow Summer Olympic Games. Industry started to develop again, but the government decided to sell 23 state-owned gardens and privatize the industry. Thus, the Ceylon tea gains immense popularity.