Sahambavy, Madagascar’s only tea plantation specialising in high-quality, hand-picked tea, is located about 20 kilometres from Fianarantsoa. Spread across rolling hills, the plantation produces both black and green teas on 335 hectares, with much of its production exported internationally while also developing organic initiatives.
We visited the factory (🎟️ 10,000 MGA), where tea leaves undergo a fascinating multi-step transformation: withering, crushing, fermentation, steam drying, and finally grading. Afterwards, we explored the surrounding plantations, where around 200 workers carefully hand-pick the leaves. It is incredibly demanding work—pickers earn only 350 MGA per kilogram of leaves, with even the most productive workers gathering a maximum of around 20 kilograms per day.
The plantation’s history dates back to 1969–1970, when the Institut Français du Café et du Cacao began experimental cultivation using tea cuttings imported from Kenya, taking advantage of the region’s ideal climate and elevation of 800–1,200 meters. The name “Sahambavy” translates to “the women’s field,” a tribute to the local women whose skilled labour remains essential to the plantation’s success.
Our visit ended with a tea tasting session in the factory office, where we sampled some of Sahambavy’s distinctive teas and purchased several 250g bags of green tea for 15,000 MGA each—a flavorful souvenir from one of Madagascar’s most unique agricultural treasures.
