Understanding What Fair Trade Organic Tea Is
A lot of people do not realize that most tea is grown on plantations that are located in parts of the developing world where the crops are sprayed with many chemicals and pesticides. Not only are these workers exposed to this danger but they are usually only paid a very small wage. This is why fair trade, organic tea is growing in popularity today: People are realizing the benefits of spending a few extra cents on a box of tea.
Why You Should Buy Organic Tea
The first thing that you should know about organic tea is that production is carried out using sustainable farming practices. This means that deforestation will not occur because of plantation farming techniques. Usually the workers on these organic tea plantations are also working under improved terms and conditions, which provide them with a better quality of life. Today you will find that the cost of this organic tea is not much more expensive than other tea. If price truly is a concern for you then you should check out Morrisons own branded fair trade organic tea bags. You will find that they are cheaper than the branded products.
What Organic Means
Organic tea utilizes environmentally friendly techniques in its production. These organic tea fields and plantations are established whenever the soil's inherent nutrient levels are built up and the chemical residues that have been left in the soil from past cultivation have been neutralized. In order for this to occur an interim period is required. This is known as the conversion period. It depends upon the agro-ecological conditions just how long this period will take but it is usually a period of between three to five years.
If someone were to try to plant organic tea here before the conversion period is over, chemical residues will still show up in the product. However, if the plantations are patient enough, then these processing techniques are sufficient enough to ensure that it will be highly unusual for any pesticides to be present in the end product. Insect and disease management in organic farming systems rely upon nature's inherent equilibrium. Herein pests' natural enemies are used to keep the number of these pests in check.
Insect, Pest and Disease Management
There are many different varieties of organic tea available on the market today. Some of these have the added benefit of possessing medicinal and herbal properties. For instance, peppermint tea helps if you have indigestion while chamomile will help you to relax.