Kalaar I

Kalaar I is a black tea estate situated in Kerala, India, at an elevation of 1,088 metres. The estate is operated by Kanan Devan Hills Plantations Company (KDHP) and is recorded as supplying the British supermarket chain Morrisons.

Terroir & Climate

At 1,088 metres above sea level, Kalaar I occupies a mid-elevation position within Kerala's tea-growing landscape. Estates at this altitude in southern India typically experience moderate diurnal temperature variation and consistent moisture levels influenced by monsoon patterns, conditions that generally favour steady vegetative growth throughout much of the year.

The latitude of approximately 10°N places the estate in a tropical climate zone where seasonal extremes are less pronounced than in northern tea regions. Mid-elevation sites in Kerala tend to benefit from a balance between warmth and cooler night-time temperatures, factors that often contribute to leaf development with moderate astringency and body in the processed tea.

Tea Produced

Kalaar I produces black tea. Estates in Kerala at similar elevations typically yield teas with a brisk, malty character and a reddish-brown liquor. The cup profile of mid-grown South Indian blacks often exhibits moderate astringency, medium body, and a smooth finish, qualities that make them well-suited to blending as well as single-origin retail packs for the everyday black tea market.

Supply Chain & Market Position

Kalaar I is recorded as supplying Morrisons, one of the United Kingdom's major supermarket chains. This relationship indicates that the estate's output meets the volume, consistency, and audit standards required by a large British retailer, suggesting integration into mainstream supply chains serving the UK grocery sector. The presence of a known supermarket buyer points to a commercial profile oriented towards reliable, mid-market black tea rather than premium or speciality segments.

• Recorded supplier to  Morrisons

Operator

The estate is operated by Kanan Devan Hills Plantations Company (KDHP), a significant player in South Indian tea production. KDHP operates at least one other estate recorded in this directory, indicating a multi-site operation with the scale and infrastructure to manage supply relationships with major retail buyers.

Location & Neighbouring Estates

Kalaar I lies at 10.0763, 76.9560 in Kerala, India. Its 1088 m elevation is the lowest of 8 estates we map in Kerala. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:

• Letchmi Super Tea Estate — 6.3 km away · Kannan Devan Hills
• Guderale — 11 km away
• Kadalaar — 11 km away · munnar kadalaar divison
• Viriparai Super Tea Estate — 12 km away · Munnar
• Chokanad Tea Estate — 14 km away · Kannan Devan Hills

Estates at a Similar Altitude to Kalaar I

Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match Kalaar I (1,088 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. Kalaar I recorded 4,774 mm in 2025, 95% more than the 2,446 mm average across these estates: at the same height, local weather and exposure matter as much as elevation.

Estate	Where	Elevation	Rain 2025	Mean high
Dayeuh Manggung Tea Estate	Kabupaten Garut, Indonesia	1,088 m	4,024 mm	24.5 °C
Ambrosia	Uva Province, Sri Lanka	1,091 m	2,319 mm	25.5 °C
Amba Estate	Bandarawela, Sri Lanka	1,079 m	2,206 mm	26.1 °C
Manjushree Tea Estate	O Valley, India	1,070 m	2,633 mm	24.2 °C
Kisaru Tea Estate	Kampala-Masindi Road, Uganda	1,070 m	1,046 mm	29.7 °C

Kalaar I Compared with Kerala

In Kerala, Kalaar I is the wettest of the 8 estates by 2025 rainfall; the lowest of the 8 estates by elevation; the warmest of the 8 estates by daytime temperature. The table sets Kalaar I against the 7 other estates we map in Kerala, so you can see whether it is typical for its region or an outlier.

Measure	Kalaar I	Region median	Region range
Elevation	1,088 m	1,626 m	1,369 to 1,972 m
Annual rainfall (2025)	4,774 mm	2,995 mm	2,773 to 3,791 mm
Mean daily high	23.2 °C	21.3 °C	19.7 to 22.7 °C
Mean overnight low	16.0 °C	13.5 °C	11.9 to 15.4 °C

Observed Climate at Kalaar I (2025)

ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for Kalaar I’s coordinates recorded 4,774 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was May (868 mm) and the driest was February (37 mm). Daytime highs averaged 23.2 °C and overnight lows 16.0 °C over the year; April was the warmest month and December the coolest.

Metric	2025 value
Annual precipitation	4,774 mm
Wettest month	May (868 mm)
Driest month	February (37 mm)
Mean daily high	23.2 °C
Mean overnight low	16.0 °C

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Kalaar I located?

Kalaar I is in Kerala, India, at coordinates 10.0763, 76.9560, at an elevation of about 1088 metres.

Who operates Kalaar I?

Kalaar I is operated by Kanan Devan Hills Plantations Company (KDHP)|Kanan Devan Hills Plantations Company (KDHP), according to public supply-chain records.

What type of tea does Kalaar I produce?

Kalaar I is recorded as producing black tea.

Which buyers does Kalaar I supply?

Public supplier disclosures record Kalaar I as supplying Morrisons.

How much rain does Kalaar I receive?

ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 4,774 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in May (868 mm).

How does Kalaar I compare with estates at a similar elevation?

Kalaar I recorded 4,774 mm in 2025, 95% more rain than the 2,446 mm average of estates at a similar elevation.

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].