Borneo – Sabah Tea Organically Grown

The only organic tea farm in Malaysia 

I recently visited the beautiful Island of Borneo and discovered the only bio-eco-friendly organic tea farm in Malaysia, Sabah Tea Garden. Meriden Giking, my guide, gave me an inside look at the dedication and labor-intensive work it takes behind the one and only Malaysian Organic Tea Farm. Additionally, they are creating jobs and supporting smaller farmers in their local villages, helping the surrounding communities. 

Borneo, the world’s third largest Island, hosts Sabah Tea Plantation, located 2,272 feet above sea level in the mountain region of Sabah, where Malaysia has its first Unesco World Heritage Site, Kinabalu Park in Kundasang, about 2 hours from the city center of Kota Kinabalu. This park covers Malaysia’s highest peak Mt. Kinabalu. 

It has been noted by botanists from around the globe as a center of Plant Diversity for Southeast Asia. Additionally, the amount of flora at this site represents species from China, Australia, Malaysia, the Himalayas, and tropical regions on both hemispheres. It provides the most pristine growing conditions for the fully Organic Sabah Tea Farm. 

History of Sabah Tea

The Sabah Government between 1978-1997 was known as Sabah Tea. From 1998 to date, the Yeelee Corporation has taken over the day-to-day operations and management of Sabah Tea and is a privately held company. The Sabah Government still owns the land on which the plantation sits. The Yeelee Corporation leases the land and maintains its organic ecosystem.

The 100% pesticide-free tea is grown at the mouth of Mt. Kundasang, over a 130 million-year-old rainforest surrounding the tea farm. A sprawling 2,500 hectares/6,200 acres, Sabah Gardens does not use all the land for growing organic tea. The growing tea garden encompasses 1,200 acres / 500 hectares. 

The “Grand Palace,” as it is called, is the surrounding area that provides space for the eco-zone for the wildlife and insects to maintain their homes without disruption.

Utilizing the vast amount of trees as a “buffer zone” for an organic “natural” water filtration system. These intuitive barriers protect the Camellia Tea Trees from toxic fertilizers, chemicals, water runoff, and insect damage; without using additional methods of chemicals, keeping Sabah Tea Garden completely organic. 

Preserving insects and other wildlife homes and environment allows little disruption to the “Grand Palace” natural bio-system. 

The eco-bio system is kept intact to detour insects and creatures away from the tea trees naturally. Keeping the organic cycle flowing. 

Tea Trees 

The most common is Camellia Sinensis, a species in the evergreen shrubs and small tree family. The flowering trees are commonly used to make beverages such as teas. 

The two varieties that Sabah Tea Garden grows are Assam and Camellia. 

Sabah Plantation’s uniqueness in planting both species does not apply grafting methods, but incorporating the growing plants harmoniously together in the garden creates a natural blended tea. “Sabah Tea starts from the garden.” 

One of these tea trees can produce many different types of tea depending on the oxidation process. Some examples are white, yellow, green, oolong, and dark tea, such as black. 

A tree can grow up to 17 meters in height. The leaf size is not dictated by the length of time it grows; instead, by the species which dictates the size of the leaf.

The slow-growing heat and drought-tolerance flowering trees are often cut shorter to provide easier access for manual picking of the tea leaves. Primarily found in regions from Assam to northern India.

Unlike most other tea companies, Sabah Tea Garden only uses its own leaves to ensure each cup of tea’s organic quality and vibrant golden richness.  

Sabah Tea Garden produces and distributes its organic tea internationally to countries such as Canada, Australia, Germany, Singapore, the USA, Britain, Hong Kong, and Japan—the high demand due to the quality of premium organic tea grown in the Borneo Rainforest.

Sabah Tea Plantation is not the oldest tea plantation in Malaysia. That distinction goes to BOH, which stands for “Best of Highland” Tea. The Cameron Highland plantation dated back to 1926 and was started by the British Colony. Sabah Tea Gardens is the only Organic Tea Farm in Malaysia.

Tea Processing 

Harvesting, processing, fermentation, and packing is a long detailed processes. There is limited automation regarding plucking and turning the newly cut tea branches and leaves. It is all done manually with delicate hand plucking and picking. Only the very delicate tops are separated for further drying and fermentation. To appreciate the tired-less hours it takes an individual to turn the newly harvested green and wet leaves and branches. Multiple steel containers called “tea boxes” line the factory’s First staging area to begin the process. 

There is so much science behind what goes into the fermentation process.

Commonly Asked Questions About Tea 

Why is the cost of hand-picked tea so costly?

Understand it is labor intensive, but one of the main reasons is there is not as much premium foliage on each plant to harvest, which limits the amount of production for the variety. 

What is the most expensive part of the tea tree? 

White tea tips (buds) will set you back USD 2,500 per kilo! White tea is considered the highest pristine quality of tea. 

 Is the quality the same if it is in a tea bag?

Yes, only the particle size is the difference at Sabah Tea. Not the standard case for other tea producers that use “tea dust” in their tea bags or sachet.

What does Sabah Tea Farm do with all the extra plant materials that cannot be used for their teas?

Keeping with the eco-bio system, the branches, leaves, and discarded tea leaves from the beverages served at their cafe are chopped up and recycled back into the farm’s soil, creating an organic fertilizer that continuously keeps a natural bio-system, creating a more robust, healthier tea trees.

How often does Sabah Tea harvest the plants, and does cutting the trees stimulate growth?

The tea tree grows for 3-4 months before the first pruning of the tea tree. Then the foliage of the trees is allowed to rest for 3-4 months. The plant will be approximately 1-8 feet off the ground. After 8-9 months, the tree can start to be harvested every two weeks, stimulating tree growth and foliage. They are using their plants to nourish them to thrive and boost sales and productivity. Nothing goes to waste.

Quality control

One of the first steps in processing is called witherring, taking anywhere from 8-16 hours, depending on the weather outside. The tea leaves must be turned over by hand, not a machine, every 3 hours at night. In contrast to turning a quantity on average of 1,000 – 1.600 kilos hourly by hand during the daylight hours. It takes one individual per “tea box” on average, 7-8 people working 8-hour shifts. It is arduous, labor-intensive work. A consistent temperature of 24 Celsius / 75.2 Fahrenheit during the day is kept using a witherring fan’s assistance. You may ask why an individual must turn the leaves by hand if a fan can dry the leaves. The tea boxes contain vast kilos of tea leaves, and to ensure that the leaves on the bottom and middle are not left wet, ensuring dried, they must be turned by hand. Once 40% of the moisture is extracted from the tea leaves, reduce the tea leaves to half the amount first harvested. Then the leaves can proceed to the next step in processing.

What is in your favorite tea?

15% of Sabah Tea is exported to other tea factories and countries under other companies’ private labels. The common practice of using a high-quality product such as Sabah Tea and mixing it with a smaller amount of secondary tea leaf maintains a higher quality for their overall product.

When Sabah Tea arrives at the other companies, they will blend their tea products with Sabah Tea to make their signature blends to sell.

85% of Sabah Organic Tea is kept and processed for organic Sabah Tea. You may ask whether the tea in the small tea sachets is the highest quality as the loose-leaf tea Sabah produces. The answer is yes in the case of Sabah Tea Garden. 

The top three leaves of the highest quality are used within the Organic Sabah Tea bags. Although, the farm also produces naturally flavored teas that are not able to be labeled organic. 

The natural flavors are gathered from the local small village farmers to support the agricultural community by generating jobs. By adding natural products to the organic tea, it can not be labeled “Organic.” 

Sabah Tea Garden goes to great lengths to keep quality control. Hence, they process their “Naturally Flavored” Teas in a separate building to not taint the organic Sabah Tea. 

Do you know what BOPF means in the tea world? I didn’t know until Meriden informed me.

B- Broken, it becomes the smaller partial processing

O- Orange is one of the natural colors of the tea leaves after the drying process

P- Pekoe the standard tea processing in the black tea product

F- Fanning is one of the standard dryings for the tea product

F- NOT; Organic Product stands for flowering

Many restaurants will use the Broken smaller particles to make their teas, such as Teh Tarik or Thai Tea. The making and pouring techniques like pulling introduce more oxygen content to the Teh Tarik or bubble tea, creating a more pungent, pleasant taste on the palate. The addition of sweetened milk creates a creamy smooth finish to the teas.

Tea, planting, and consumption have been around since the 3rd century AD, and the Chinese used it as a medicinal drink. It wasn’t until the 17th century that tea drinking became popular in Britain. Many of the same techniques are used currently today. All the while, science has brought forth systems to prevent excessive molding, damage, and disease of the tea foliage and the products produced. After spending a day with Meriden and the vast amount of history and knowledge he shared with me about Sabah Organically Grown Tea, I feel I have only scratched the surface of the tea culture. I am in hopes that I have shined a light with new information that may help you enjoy, purchase, and prepare your next tea. 

If you would like more information on Sabah Tea Garden, I have included a link for you to view.

I have posted a recipe for the perfect cup of tea with Meriden’s proficient knowledge. 

Life is like a cup of tea… It’s all how you make it.

Shelly

The Food Scholar

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