RUKERI ORGANIC

Rukeri Organic is a tea estate located in B.P Kigali, Rwanda, at an elevation of 1,510 metres. The property is operated by Sorwathe Ltd and is recorded as a supplier to Finlays, one of the international tea trade's established names. The estate produces both black and green teas from its high-altitude site in Rwanda's developing tea sector.

Terroir & Climate

At 1,510 metres above sea level, Rukeri Organic occupies a mid-to-high elevation zone in Rwanda's equatorial latitude. Estates at this altitude typically experience cooler nights and moderate daytime temperatures, conditions that tend to slow leaf development and can contribute to more concentrated biochemical profiles in the harvested shoot. The equatorial position means relatively stable day-length year-round, often allowing estates in this latitude band to maintain steady cropping cycles without the pronounced dormancy seen in higher-latitude origins.

Rwanda's tea-growing regions generally receive well-distributed rainfall, and the volcanic soils common to much of the country tend to offer good drainage and mineral availability. At this elevation, morning mists are often present, which can help moderate transpiration stress during dry spells. These environmental factors typically combine to support consistent vegetative growth, though the slower maturation associated with cooler high-altitude conditions often requires careful agronomic timing to optimise both yield and quality.

Tea Produced

Rukeri Organic produces both black and green teas. Black teas from Rwandan estates at this elevation often exhibit a clean, bright character with moderate body and a tendency toward floral or slightly sweet notes, reflecting the slower leaf maturation typical of high-altitude equatorial sites. Green tea production in Rwanda remains less common than black, but estates working at elevations above 1,500 metres generally have the cooler post-harvest conditions that can favour the retention of fresh, vegetal notes during processing. The dual production suggests processing flexibility and access to markets with differing format requirements.

Supply Chain & Market Position

Rukeri Organic is recorded as supplying Finlays, a vertically integrated producer and blender with global reach and long-standing sourcing relationships in East Africa. This connection places the estate within an established supply chain that spans plantation production, processing, and international distribution. Finlays' procurement strategy typically emphasises volume reliability and quality consistency, suggesting that Rukeri Organic meets the operational and cupping standards required by large-scale buyers serving both branded and private-label segments in Europe and beyond.

• Recorded supplier to  Finlays

Operator

Rukeri Organic is operated by Sorwathe Ltd, a company active in Rwanda's tea sector. No other estates operated by Sorwathe Ltd are currently recorded in this directory, though the company's management of a dedicated organic-branded property indicates a degree of specialisation or market positioning within Rwanda's competitive smallholder and estate landscape.

Location & Neighbouring Estates

RUKERI ORGANIC lies at -1.9441, 30.0619 in B.P Kigali, Rwanda. Its 1510 m elevation is the 17th highest of 18 estates we map in Rwanda. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:

• Rwanda Mountain Tea — 4.8 km away · KG 438 St
• Karongi Ltd, Muganza, Kivu Tea Factory — 21 km away · Birambo
• Mata — 21 km away · Mata
• Sorwathe Tea Estate — 31 km away · Kimihurura
• Sorwathe S.A.R.L. — 32 km away · Kinihira Sector

Estates at a Similar Altitude to RUKERI ORGANIC

Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match RUKERI ORGANIC (1,510 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. RUKERI ORGANIC recorded 1,053 mm in 2025, 49% less than the 2,050 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
Chamu Tea Garden	Chamu Tea Garden, India	1,508 m	2,552 mm	19.6 °C
Ankole	Fort Portal, Uganda	1,515 m	1,251 mm	24.5 °C
Tukdah Tea Estate	West Bengal, India	1,504 m	2,376 mm	20.7 °C
Maturata Plantations, Ragalla Group	Nuwara Eliya District, Sri Lanka	1,517 m	2,694 mm	22.3 °C
Kijura Tea Company	Western, Uganda	1,502 m	1,376 mm	25.8 °C

RUKERI ORGANIC Compared with Rwanda

In Rwanda, RUKERI ORGANIC is the driest of the 18 estates by 2025 rainfall; lower than 94% of the others by elevation; warmer than 94% of the others by daytime temperature. The table sets RUKERI ORGANIC against the 17 other estates we map in Rwanda, so you can see whether it is typical for its country or an outlier.

Measure	RUKERI ORGANIC	Country median	Country range
Elevation	1,510 m	1,964 m	1,413 to 2,379 m
Annual rainfall (2025)	1,053 mm	1,213 mm	1,053 to 2,889 mm
Mean daily high	26.3 °C	22.0 °C	18.1 to 26.3 °C
Mean overnight low	15.2 °C	12.6 °C	9.6 to 15.2 °C

Observed Climate at RUKERI ORGANIC (2025)

ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for RUKERI ORGANIC’s coordinates recorded 1,053 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was March (154 mm) and the driest was July (6 mm). Daytime highs averaged 26.3 °C and overnight lows 15.2 °C over the year; September was the warmest month and May the coolest.

Metric	2025 value
Annual precipitation	1,053 mm
Wettest month	March (154 mm)
Driest month	July (6 mm)
Mean daily high	26.3 °C
Mean overnight low	15.2 °C

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is RUKERI ORGANIC located?

RUKERI ORGANIC is in B.P Kigali, Rwanda, at coordinates -1.9441, 30.0619, at an elevation of about 1510 metres.

Who operates RUKERI ORGANIC?

RUKERI ORGANIC is operated by Sorwathe Ltd, according to public supply-chain records.

What type of tea does RUKERI ORGANIC produce?

RUKERI ORGANIC is recorded as producing black and green tea.

Which buyers does RUKERI ORGANIC supply?

Public supplier disclosures record RUKERI ORGANIC as supplying Finlays.

How much rain does RUKERI ORGANIC receive?

ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 1,053 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in March (154 mm).

How does RUKERI ORGANIC compare with estates at a similar elevation?

RUKERI ORGANIC recorded 1,053 mm in 2025, 49% less rain than the 2,050 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].