A Comparative Analysis of Dry Tea Yield from Ball Tea 1 and Ball Tea 2 during Green Tea Production

Abstract

The tea drying process is a crucial stage in determining the final quality of the product, particularly in meeting the Grade 1 standard. A green tea producer, applies the final drying process using two types of machines: Ball Tea 1 and Ball Tea 2. The issue addressed in this report concerns the differences in the distribution of dried tea output from both machines and the extent to which the drying results can serve as a reference in the sorting process for high-quality tea. The methods used during this internship included direct observation of the drying and sorting processes, interviews with technical experts, as well as data collection and processing from dried tea samples. The analysis involved weighing and categorizing the dried tea into four fractions: Peko Super, Jikeng, Kempring, and Tulang. The data from each fraction was calculated in percentage form and compared between Ball Tea 1 and Ball Tea 2 to identify the differences in distribution characteristics. The analysis results show that the fraction distribution between the two machines is still unbalanced. The Peko Super fraction in Ball Tea 2 is higher than that in Ball Tea 1, while the Jikeng fraction dominates in both machines. This analysis can serve as a reference in determining Grade 1 tea and highlights the need to evaluate drying parameters and raw material quality. With proper processing, the final tea product can meet the quality standards set by the company.