Not the usual sort of story I would publish, but after publishing so many tragic articles on Sri Lanka, this makes a nice changeSource: Government of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, a top tea exporter, entered the Guinness World Records for brewing the world's largest cup of tea. A giant red mug was filled with 1,000 gallons (4,546l) of water, 141lb (64kg) of tea, 1,929lb (875kg) of malted milk powder and 353lb (160kg) of sugar. It was almost 33% bigger than the previous record, set last year by the United States. The tea was later driven around Colombo, and handed out to locals in small plastic cups.
A representative from Guinness World Records certified the feat.
Until the 1860's the main crop produced in Sri Lanka was coffee. But in 1869, a coffee-rust fungus killed the majority of the coffee plants and estate owners had to diversify into other crops in order to avoid total ruin. In 1867, James Taylor planted the first 19 acres of tea Loolkandura estate in Kan.
Most of the Ceylon tea gardens are situated at elevations between 3,000 and 8,000 feet. In the hot, steamy plains and foothills, the tea bushes flush every seven or eight days and are picked all year round. The finest teas are gathered from late June to the end of August in eastern districts and from the beginning of February to mid-March in the western parts.
Sri Lanka's finest teas are produced mainly from bushes that grow above 4,000 feet. The bushes grow more slowly in the cooler, mistier climate, and are harder to harvest because of the steep angle of the slopes on which they are planted.
