The Effects of Plucking Policies on the Yield of Tea in Malawi

SUMMARY There have been conflicting reports of the effects of different plucking (harvesting) policies on yields of tea in Malawi. An experiment is reported which separates the effects of plucking round length from those of plucking standard, and is compared with the results of simulating those plucking policies. Between the experiment and the simulation the conflict is resolved, and the validity of the experiment and simulation model are thereby enhanced. The immediate practical implications of the work are limited because of the unquantified relations between plucking standard and quality and grade out-turn of made tea.