Post by Mònica Vallejo

On a recent trip to the Azores, I was able to visit the plantations on the island of São Miguel, currently the only location in the archipelago where this crop is grown and the sole tea-producing region in Western Europe until recent years, when other artisanal initiatives began to emerge. These green landscapes surrounded by the immensity of the Atlantic host the oldest tea tradition in this geographical area. Production was established in the mid-19th century to revitalise the regional economy following the collapse of the orange trade. Since 1838, orchards had suffered from the “lágrima” disease (caused by soil-borne phytopathogenic fungi of the genus 𝘗𝘩𝘺𝘵𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘢), which weakened the trees. This crisis was further aggravated by fierce international competition in the fruit sector and by the plague of the insect 𝘊𝘰𝘤𝘤𝘶𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘶𝘮 (locally dubbed “devorador das laranjeiras”), which devastated crops between 1840 and 1860. In 1848, systematic cultivation of Camellia sinensis seeds brought from Brazil began under the impulse of José do Canto—a crop that also reached the island of Faial, although it eventually disappeared there in the mid-20th century. To master leaf processing, the Micaelense Agricultural Promotion Society financed the arrival of a Chinese tea master from Macau, Lau-a-Pan, who travelled with his interpreter, Lau-a-Teng, in 1878. The environmental conditions of the islands are the key factor for the plant. The marine meteorological environment and the stability of temperatures mean that the bushes develop slowly, which increases their antioxidant components, while the soil of volcanic origin directly influences the properties of the infusion. The great distinguishing feature of this ecosystem is that it produces in a 100% organic manner and without pesticides. Oceanic isolation deters continental pests, and the sea winds themselves act as a natural dryer that ventilates the bushes and prevents fungi. Unlike citrus fruits, which were highly vulnerable to soil-borne phytopathogenic fungi such as 𝘗𝘩𝘺𝘵𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘢 and vectors like 𝘊𝘰𝘤𝘤𝘶𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘶𝘮, 𝘊𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘢 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘴 exhibits a natural immunity to these agents due to its high concentration of polyphenols and caffeine, which act as natural defense mechanisms. Likewise, oceanic isolation acts as a biogeographical barrier and the temperature range of the Atlantic ecosystem impedes the biological cycle of the main pests and parasites that thrive on tea crops in low-altitude regions with an intense tropical climate, turning the weather into the best ally for its sustainability.