The effects of machines and changes in labor resources on the Taiwanese tea industry.

Tea Rolling Machine

The mechanized replacement of hands-on production has affected quality and character of High Mountain Oolong even further in the last 2-3 years with the introduction of a new machine that significantly reduces labor. This machine was invented in Vietnam, where the skilled labor force for rolling the tea leaves during the drying process did not exist. Taiwanese tea farmers and tea companies who ventured abroad to develop farms needed to find a solution to this dilemma. Hence the invention of a hydraulic compactor machine that results in a significantly different quality of production. This is combined with the diminishing labor force that is willing to do this difficult job - which parallels the scarcity of tea pickers.