This way we do know where the money is going. Only the company's teas from India are certified Fair Trade. Tea certification hasn't been set up in China yet, said Ring, and isn't needed in Japan. A recent trip to India convinced Ring it was the right step. People in India, whole villages, live on the estates.
Life is centered around the tea.
I don't think they are in as dire straits as coffee growers, as far as I could tell, but it is still a rough life compared to how we live. Ring said workers, mostly women, pluck two leaves and a bud from the plant stems. Workers continuously go through the fields as more young leaves appear on the plants. Granum teas, a Seattle business for 20 years, sells teas in natural food stores and natural food sections in several major grocery stores. With new certification programs, consumers can make environmental and socially responsible decisions on many products, not just food.