Standard of plucking denotes the type of shoots harvested. Or in other words, it refers to the fineness or coarseness of the harvested shoots. Depending on the length of plucking round or type of shoots harvested there are five standards of plucking recognised in N.E.India.These are- fine, standard, medium, coarse and black.
However, only two standards of plucking are generally followed viz., black and standard. In black plucking, almost all types of shoots above the plucking table are plucked while in standard plucking small shoots with one leaf are not plucked and are allowed to retain on the table. The types of shoots plucked under the two plucking standards are as follows:
Types of Shoots Plucked in Black and Standard Plucking
Plucking Standard | Types of Shoots to be Plucked |
Black Plucking | All one leaf and a bud shoots; all two leaves and a bud shoots; all three leaves and a bud shoots ;and single banjhies |
Standard Plucking | Large one leaf and a bud shoots; all two leaves and a bud shoots ; small three leaves and a bud shoot; and single banjhies |
As a long term policy, standard plucking is considered to be superior to black plucking for tea in the plains of N.E. India.