Panniar Tea Estate

Panniar Tea Estate is a black tea producer located in the Idukki district of Kerala, India. Situated at 1,351 metres above sea level, the estate is operated by Harrisons, a company with a long-established presence in Indian tea. No buyer relationships are currently recorded in publicly available supply-chain data.

Terroir & Climate

At 1,351 metres elevation and approximately 10°N latitude, Panniar occupies a mid-elevation growing environment in the southern Western Ghats. Estates at this altitude in Kerala typically experience a tropical montane climate moderated by elevation, with cooler nights than the lowland plains and consistent rainfall distributed across much of the year. These conditions generally favour slower leaf maturation compared to low-grown estates, which tends to support the development of more complex biochemical compounds in the leaf.

The Idukki district is characterised by undulating terrain and forested catchments, and gardens here often benefit from well-drained soils and the influence of both monsoon periods. Mid-elevation estates in this latitude band usually maintain a year-round growing season, though flush intensity typically varies with rainfall patterns. The interplay of warmth, moisture and altitude in this zone generally contributes to leaf that is robust yet nuanced, well-suited to orthodox black tea manufacture.

Tea Produced

Panniar produces black tea. Mid-elevation estates in Kerala's Western Ghats typically yield teas with medium to full body, a malty or slightly brisk character, and a balance between astringency and sweetness. Teas from this altitude band often display a clean cup with good colour and a flavour profile that may range from straightforward and robust to moderately complex, depending on plucking standard and processing. The elevation tends to lend a degree of refinement compared to low-grown teas, though without the pronounced delicacy associated with high-grown estates above 1,800 metres.

Operator

Panniar is managed by Harrisons, a company with a substantial footprint in Indian tea cultivation and processing. Harrisons operates three other estates recorded in our directory, reflecting a multi-garden portfolio that spans key growing regions. This scale typically affords operational efficiencies in sourcing, processing infrastructure and market access.

Location & Neighbouring Estates

Panniar Tea Estate lies at 10.0032, 77.2216 in Idukki, India. Its 1351 m elevation is the 58th highest of 250 estates we map in India. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:

• Harrisons Malayalam Ltd. — 5.0 km away · Suryanelli
• Surianalle Tea Estate, Idukki — 5.0 km away · Suryanelli
• Chokanad I — 9.9 km away · Kerala
• Devikulam — 13 km away · Kerala
• Lockhart Tea Estate — 13 km away · Devicolam Idukki

Estates at a Similar Altitude to Panniar Tea Estate

Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match Panniar Tea Estate (1,351 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. Panniar Tea Estate recorded 2,349 mm in 2025, within 5% of the 2,416 mm average across these estates, so altitude explains most of its rainfall.

Estate	Where	Elevation	Rain 2025	Mean high
Horana Plantations, Alton	Central Province, Sri Lanka	1,350 m	3,868 mm	21.9 °C
NJERU	Box 241 - Meru, Kenya	1,354 m	1,229 mm	24.9 °C
Ouvahkelle Estate	Nuwan Elgin To Maria, Sri Lanka	1,348 m	3,746 mm	22.4 °C
Mcleod Russel Uganda Limited(Mrul), Ankole Tea Factory, Kalinzu Garden	Fort Portal, Uganda	1,357 m	943 mm	27.4 °C
Lingia Tea Estate	West Bengal, India	1,332 m	2,294 mm	21.9 °C

Panniar Tea Estate Compared with India

In India, Panniar Tea Estate is drier than 71% of the others by 2025 rainfall; higher than 77% of the others by elevation; cooler than 74% of the others by daytime temperature. The table sets Panniar Tea Estate against the 249 other estates we map in India, so you can see whether it is typical for its country or an outlier.

Measure	Panniar Tea Estate	Country median	Country range
Elevation	1,351 m	126 m	6 to 2,299 m
Annual rainfall (2025)	2,349 mm	2,778 mm	745 to 4,774 mm
Mean daily high	22.7 °C	28.3 °C	16.9 to 34.5 °C
Mean overnight low	15.2 °C	19.3 °C	9.3 to 24.2 °C

Observed Climate at Panniar Tea Estate (2025)

ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for Panniar Tea Estate’s coordinates recorded 2,349 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was May (473 mm) and the driest was February (19 mm). Daytime highs averaged 22.7 °C and overnight lows 15.2 °C over the year; April was the warmest month and December the coolest.

Metric	2025 value
Annual precipitation	2,349 mm
Wettest month	May (473 mm)
Driest month	February (19 mm)
Mean daily high	22.7 °C
Mean overnight low	15.2 °C

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Panniar Tea Estate located?

Panniar Tea Estate is in Idukki, India, at coordinates 10.0032, 77.2216, at an elevation of about 1351 metres.

Who operates Panniar Tea Estate?

Panniar Tea Estate is operated by Harrisons, according to public supply-chain records.

What type of tea does Panniar Tea Estate produce?

Panniar Tea Estate is recorded as producing black tea.

How much rain does Panniar Tea Estate receive?

ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 2,349 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in May (473 mm).

How does Panniar Tea Estate compare with estates at a similar elevation?

Estates at a similar elevation recorded about 2,416 mm of rain in 2025, close to the 2,349 mm at Panniar Tea Estate.

Data sources: public supply-chain disclosures (Ethical Tea Partnership member lists, Rainforest Alliance certificate holders and retailer supplier disclosures); climate figures are ERA5 reanalysis modelled for the estate’s coordinates via Open-Meteo (calendar year 2025); coordinates and elevations from geocoded records. Spotted an error? Email [email protected].