Nationwide, tea is still harvested by hand—primarily by women, who typically pluck 30 to 40 pounds of fresh leaf during a six- to eight-hour workday. (A little more than 4 pounds of fresh leaf will yield 1 pound of finished dried tea.) To ensure fair employment practices and high-quality tea, the Sri Lanka Tea Board regulates the industry. Its “womb-to-tomb” social welfare system, according to board member Anil Cooke, provides workers and their families with free benefits, such as education (including uniforms and books), healthcare, housing, electricity, and water, in addition to the highest wages of any tea-growing nation.