Tea leaf harvesting machine - video

[PJs]

Ochiai is not a large company but been around since 1919 in Japan making shears and then industrial type machines in the 50'-60's to these today. The one above is medium sized and their product line covers the gambit of tools and machines. Kind of remind me of the Pellenc grape harvesting stuff around here.

Not sure what are the best methods for harvest of tea but it makes sense that hand pinching would be sustainable and probably produce better tea, but that's got to cost even in 3rd world countries and with the population and amount of tea/coffee drinkers there has to be some automation compromise to keep the hoards at bay, I would think.

PJ