Follow every kilo from field block to factory lot and sale contract.

An estate is split into divisions, and each division into numbered field blocks with their own age, variety and pruning year. Workers are mustered at dawn, sent to a block, and paid by the kilo or by the day. Leaf reaches the weighing shed twice before noon. It is a long day.

Plantation companies keep these records in muster books, weighment slips and factory registers that never meet. Yield per block, cost per kilo and wages owed then arrive weeks late. We start at the field, with one day’s leaf followed from the plucking round to the dispatched lot.

The field officer reads out the day’s plan at muster: which blocks are plucked, which are pruned, which get fertiliser, and which are sprayed. Pluckers or tappers go out in gangs under a supervisor. Leaf is weighed at the field weighing point, the basket weight is deducted, and each worker’s kilos are noted against a name. Casual and permanent labour are mustered apart.

At the factory, leaf is received by division, withered, processed and graded into lots. Dry rubber, green coffee cherry or made tea each follow their own steps. Lots are catalogued for auction or allotted to a standing contract. The dispatch clerk raises the invoice and the transport papers. The accounts office then reconciles wages, store issues and sales for the month.