Behali Tea Estate

Behali Tea Estate is a black-tea producing estate located in the Assam region of India, at an elevation of 92 metres. It is operated by Mcleod Russel India Ltd., a major tea company with significant holdings across the region. The estate is recorded as a supplier to Sainsbury's, the British supermarket chain.

Terroir & Climate

At 92 metres above sea level, Behali occupies low-lying terrain characteristic of much of Assam's tea-growing belt. Estates at this elevation typically experience the warm, humid conditions of the Brahmaputra valley, where monsoon rains are abundant and temperatures remain high throughout the growing season. These conditions generally favour vigorous vegetative growth and a long plucking season, often extending from March through November.

The combination of tropical warmth, high rainfall, and fertile alluvial soils tends to produce robust, fast-growing leaf. Assam's low-altitude estates often yield teas with the bold, malty character for which the region is known, though individual garden styles vary considerably depending on cultivation practices and processing methods.

Tea Produced

Behali produces black tea. Assam teas from estates at this elevation typically offer a full-bodied, malty cup with brisk astringency and a deep, coppery colour. The style is generally well-suited to breakfast blends and milk-based preparations, though specific leaf grades and seasonal variations can yield a range of profiles from robust and assertive to smoother and more rounded.

Supply Chain & Market Position

Behali's recorded supply relationship with Sainsbury's places it within the orbit of mainstream British retail, a market segment that demands consistent volume, food-safety compliance, and competitive pricing. Sainsbury's sources Assam teas for both own-label lines and branded blends, and estates supplying the supermarket are typically expected to meet audit standards for traceability and labour welfare. The presence of a major UK grocer as a buyer suggests that Behali is integrated into established export channels serving the blended-tea market rather than the specialist single-estate segment.

• Recorded supplier to  Sainsbury's

Operator

Mcleod Russel India Ltd. is one of the world's largest tea producers by volume, with extensive landholdings in Assam and other Indian tea regions. The company operates six other estates recorded in this directory, reflecting its scale and influence within the industry. Mcleod Russel's portfolio has historically focused on bulk black-tea production for commodity and retail markets, though the company has faced financial and operational challenges in recent years.

Location & Neighbouring Estates

Behali Tea Estate lies at 26.8478, 93.3817 in Assam, India. Its 92 m elevation is the joint 51st highest of 66 estates we map in Assam. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:

• Bargang Tea Estate — 7.8 km away
• Halem Tea Estate — 8.2 km away · Sonitpur
• Singlijan Tea Estate — 8.9 km away · Kemai Jaroni
• Mcleod Russel India Ltd, Boroi Tea Factory — 12 km away
• Monabarie Tea Estate — 14 km away · Monabari P.P. No.2

Estates at a Similar Altitude to Behali Tea Estate

Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match Behali Tea Estate (92 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. Behali Tea Estate recorded 3,254 mm in 2025, 24% more than the 2,627 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
Seajuli Tea Estate	Assam, India	92 m	2,489 mm	28.8 °C
New Nivithigala Tea Factory	Lelwala, Sri Lanka	92 m	3,510 mm	29.2 °C
Blue Hills	Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka	92 m	2,533 mm	30.9 °C
Emperial Tea Estate Ltd.	Panchagarh, Bangladesh	93 m	3,056 mm	28.8 °C
Fujian Province Guangfu Tea Co.	Hu Lin Pan Xi Town Fu Ding, China	93 m	1,548 mm	24.7 °C

Behali Tea Estate Compared with Assam

In Assam, Behali Tea Estate is wetter than 77% of the others by 2025 rainfall; lower than 78% of the others by elevation; warmer than 66% of the others by daytime temperature. The table sets Behali Tea Estate against the 65 other estates we map in Assam, so you can see whether it is typical for its region or an outlier.

Measure	Behali Tea Estate	Region median	Region range
Elevation	92 m	110 m	26 to 266 m
Annual rainfall (2025)	3,254 mm	2,919 mm	1,742 to 4,142 mm
Mean daily high	28.9 °C	28.7 °C	27.9 to 30.0 °C
Mean overnight low	19.5 °C	19.6 °C	18.8 to 21.1 °C

Observed Climate at Behali Tea Estate (2025)

ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for Behali Tea Estate’s coordinates recorded 3,254 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was May (656 mm) and the driest was December (2 mm). Daytime highs averaged 28.9 °C and overnight lows 19.5 °C over the year; July was the warmest month and December the coolest.

Metric	2025 value
Annual precipitation	3,254 mm
Wettest month	May (656 mm)
Driest month	December (2 mm)
Mean daily high	28.9 °C
Mean overnight low	19.5 °C

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Behali Tea Estate located?

Behali Tea Estate is in Assam, India, at coordinates 26.8478, 93.3817, at an elevation of about 92 metres.

Who operates Behali Tea Estate?

Behali Tea Estate is operated by Mcleod Russel India Ltd., according to public supply-chain records.

What type of tea does Behali Tea Estate produce?

Behali Tea Estate is recorded as producing black tea.

Which buyers does Behali Tea Estate supply?

Public supplier disclosures record Behali Tea Estate as supplying Sainsbury's.

How much rain does Behali Tea Estate receive?

ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 3,254 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in May (656 mm).

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

Behali Tea Estate recorded 3,254 mm in 2025, 24% more rain than the 2,627 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].