Kulon Progo farmers produce various tea flavors

One of Samigaluh Sukohadi tea farmer in Kulon Progo, Wednesday, said he produces various tea with flavors such as pegagan tea, scented tea, charred tea and white tea.

"Previously, the harvested tea was sent to PT Pagilaran factory for Rp1,000 per kilogram. We think the price is cheap, thus we process it on our own in groups. We process it into several types of unique teas both in name and taste," Sukohadi said.

From various of those people's tea products, the most interesting ones are "charred tea" and "white-tea". The two teas have rather complicated and exclusive ingredients and processes.

White-tea is white in color, the original color of the tea leaves. There is not using any form of heat to dry it, thus the tea leaves' benefits are complete.

"For this white tea, we have to harvest it before the sun shines. We do the harvesting after the dawn prayer, for at most half to one hour. Should it be exposed to sunlight, its benefit will be different," he said.

Sukohadi said that to dry white tea you only need to expose it to the wind, without using fire heat. The rule is strictly enforced. This white tea is brewed as a special drink. In Bali, the price is Rp3.5 billion per kilogram. Its consumers are mostly foreign tourists.

"As for 'charred tea', we are using two to three pieces of leaves. The processing is done by drying it with the 'sangan' method. It is dried on earthen jar heated by fire on the bottom," he said.

He said Samigaluh's charred tea does have a "weird" taste, as it has a bitter astringent taste and also charred. "A weird taste. But with a bit of sugar the taste will be exclusive indeed.

"We have a contract with a hotel in Bali. Every month we send two quintals of white tea, as well as some charred tea. There it is said foreign tourists prefer charred and white tea over scented tea," he said.

Sukohadi also said that on one side of his farm land a coffee shop is currently being built. He wants to complete the tea farm in the Nglinggo area with a tea house. He himself owns 2.5 hectares of land.

"Currently, every Saturday and Sunday hundreds of visitors come to our tea farm. Enjoying the fresh air and the beautiful natural scene. They take a lot of selfies. It would be ideal if they could also drink tea in the middle of the tea farm," he said.