Laos Somneuk Black Curly Tea Hand Rolled Loose Leaf Natural Black Tea

This is an absolutely delightful tea, I had two infusions and then made a fresh pot, I liked it that much, wonderful. The tightly twisted spherical leaves are processed by hand and show great dedication in making this delightful tea. Laos or officially Lao People’s Democratic Republic is a socialist state landlocked between Myanmar and China to the north, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the southwest and Thailand to the west. The Somneuk Organic Project has been developed to support the ethnic minority of the Phunoi people. The tea gardens contain many ancient tea trees, and the project aims to expand and professionalise tea cultivation in the Phongsaly province. The Lao People’s Democratic government has according to the UN, in 2005, ensured poppy cultivation was reduced to marginal levels, by making it illegal to grow opium. This profitability will hopefully keep farmers away from opium cultivation, however in 2008 the UNODC survey had found that 20% of former opium growing communities had resumed poppy cultivation to generate income and for personal consumption. Laos was the largest opium producing country in the world but by 1998 had dropped to third largest. It is hoped that the farmers growing tea, coffee for export and rice and maize for local consumption will benefit all the farming communities.