Tea in the USSR

• Tea USSR

Tea in the USSR in the period of 1917-1923 in Soviet Russia experienced a "tea" period: the use of alcoholic beverages has been officially banned, the army and the factory workers were supplied with tea for free. organization "Tsentrochay" was created, which was engaged in the distribution of tea with confiscated warehouses chaetorgovyh firms. Stocks have been so great that there was no need for procurement of tea until 1923 abroad.

By the end of the 1970s in the USSR, the area under tea has reached up to 97 thousand. Ha, in the country there were 80 modern tea industry enterprises. Only produced 95 thousand. Tonnes per year in Georgia made tea. By 1986, the total tea production in the Soviet Union has reached 150 thousand tons, tiled black and green -. 8 thousand tons of green brick -. 9 th. Tons. In 1950 - 1970 the Soviet Union became a chaeeksportiruyuschuyu country - Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Krasnodar tea arrived in Poland, East Germany, Hungary, Romania, Finland, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, South Yemen, Mongolia. In Asia it went mainly brick and brick tea. USSR demand for tea to meet their own production, in different years, the value of from 2/3 to 3/4. By the 1970s, at the level of leadership of the USSR had already matured a decision on specialization areas suitable for tea production for such production. It was supposed to withdraw land used for other crops, and pass them under tea production. However, these plans were not realized. Moreover, under the pretext of getting rid of manual labor in the early 1980s in Georgia almost completely stopped hand-picking of tea leaves by going entirely on the machine, which gives a very low quality product. Before 1970, the continued import of tea from China. Subsequently, Chinese imports had been collapsed, started tea purchases in India, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Kenya, Tanzania. Since the quality of Georgian tea compared with imported was low (mainly due to the collection attempt mechanization of tea leaves) actively practiced mixing import teas Georgian, which yield a product of acceptable quality and price. By the early 1980s, in the usual shops to buy a pure Indian or Ceylon tea has become almost impossible - it imported rarely and in small batches, he immediately bought up. Sometimes Indian tea imported into the dining rooms and canteens of enterprises and institutions. At this time in stores usually sell shoddy Georgian tea with "wood" and the scent of hay. It sold well, but they were rare, the following grades: The quality of Georgian tea was disgusting. "Georgian tea Class II" in appearance resembling sawdust, it occasionally come across pieces of branches (they were called "logs"), he smelled of tobacco and had a disgusting taste. Krasnodar was considered worse Georgian. Basically, it bought the infuser "chifir" - the drink receiving prolonged digestion of highly concentrated welding. To make it, no smell, no taste of tea was not important - it was important only to the amount of theine (caffeine tea) ...

More or less normal tea, which can be fine to drink, was considered a "Tea N 36" or as it is commonly called the "thirty-sixth." When he was "thrown" on the shelves, then turn formed hour and a half. And they gave strict "two packs in one hand." Usually this happened in the end of the month. when the store it was urgent to "get a plan." Tutu was stogrammovaya, one pack enough for a maximum of a week. And at a very economical expenditure.

Tea № 36 (Georgia and 36% Indian) (green packaging) Tea № 20 (Georgia and 20% Indian) (green packing) Krasnodar premium grade tea Georgian premium grade tea Georgian tea first grade second grade tea Georgian

Indian tea sold in the Soviet Union, fidgeted in bulk and packaged in the tea-packing factory in standard packaging - cardboard box "with an elephant" of 50 and 100 grams (for top grade tea). green-red packaging was used for the first Indian tea varieties. Not always tea, sold as an Indian, was really so. Thus, as an "Indian tea first grade" sold mixture which is composed in the 1980s: 55% Georgian, Madagascar 25%, 15% and 5% Indian Ceylon tea. Own tea production after 1980 has fallen considerably, the quality deteriorated. Since the mid-1980s progressive trade deficit touched on essential commodities, including sugar and tea. In this case, the internal economic processes of the USSR coincided with the death of Indian and Ceylon tea plantations (walked to the end of the next period of growth) and the rise in world tea prices. As a result of tea, as well as a number of other foods, it has almost disappeared from the free sale and was sold for coupons. Only low-grade tea in some cases could be bought freely. Subsequently, in large numbers began to buy Turkish tea, which is very poorly sealed. He sold a large packaging without coupons. During these years, in the middle lane, and in the north on sale there was green tea, which was previously in these regions almost did not deliver. He also sold freely.

There was also tea, served in canteens and in long-distance trains. It cost a penny, but it was better not to drink. especially in the dining room. He did so - was taken old, has repeatedly brewed tea leaves, it adds baking soda and all perekipyachivalos fifteen to twenty minutes. If the colors are dark enough, add caramel. No complaints about the quality of course not taken - "do not like it - do not drink." I usually do not drink, instead of taking tea compote or jelly.

In the first years after the collapse of the USSR and the Russian and Georgian tea production has been completely abandoned. Georgia had no reason to keep this production, because only its market was Russia, due to the fall of the quality of Georgian tea has refocused on tea purchases in other states. Preserved tea production in Azerbaijan, which is currently part satisfies the domestic demand of the country for tea. Part of Georgian tea plantations abandoned ever since. In Russia now created several own companies - importers of tea, as well as the actions of a small representation of foreign companies. Tea production in the USSR was a clear indication of the degradation of the country's economy. From one kilogram of tea, falsified five kilograms, of which trade allowed two and three went to the left. The result is on securities, fulfillment of the plan for 200% of state. Award in the ministry, millions of rubles in the shadow economy and sawdust mixture Soviet buyers