In short: Udayakanda is a black tea estate in Sri Lanka's Central Province at 575 metres elevation, recorded as supplying Finlays.
Udayakanda is a tea estate situated in Sri Lanka's Central Province at an elevation of 575 metres above sea level. The operator of the estate is not publicly recorded in trade documentation. The estate is known to supply Finlays, the multinational tea and beverage group.
Terroir & Climate
At 575 metres, Udayakanda occupies a mid-elevation band in the Central Province, a zone that typically experiences moderate tropical temperatures and reliable monsoon rainfall. Estates at this altitude generally benefit from warmer daytime conditions than those in the high-grown districts above 1,200 metres, often leading to faster shoot growth and a year-round production cycle with less pronounced dormancy during cooler months.
The mid-country terroir of the Central Province tends to yield teas with greater body and strength than the more delicate high-grown Ceylon styles. Soils in the region are commonly lateritic, and the combination of altitude, temperature and rainfall patterns typically supports vigorous vegetative growth, though leaf chemistry and withering rates can vary considerably with micro-climate and seasonal shifts in the monsoon.
Tea Produced
Udayakanda produces black tea. Mid-grown Ceylon blacks from estates at this elevation generally offer a fuller body and deeper colour than high-grown teas, with a cup profile that tends toward malty, slightly sweet notes and a robust, rounded character. Teas from the Central Province mid-country are often valued for blending, contributing strength and consistency, though individual estate character will vary with processing technique and seasonal leaf quality.
Supply Chain & Market Position
Udayakanda is recorded as supplying Finlays, one of the largest participants in the global tea supply chain. Finlays operates across sourcing, blending, packing and distribution, serving major retail and foodservice brands in numerous markets. The estate's relationship with a buyer of this scale suggests that its production meets the volume, consistency and quality assurance standards required for integration into international supply programmes, whether for branded retail tea or catering blends.
- Recorded supplier to Finlays
Location & Neighbouring Estates
Udayakanda lies at 7.2034, 80.5504 in Central Province, Sri Lanka. Its 575 m elevation is the joint 83rd highest of 94 estates we map in Central Province. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:
- Watadeniya — 1.3 km away
- Dehiwatte — 3.1 km away
- Lantern Hill Lotus Valley — 4.9 km away
- Orange Field — 4.9 km away
- Elpitiya Plantations, Deviturai — 5.7 km away
Estates at a Similar Altitude to Udayakanda
Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match Udayakanda (575 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. Udayakanda recorded 2,513 mm in 2025, 13% more than the 2,218 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Finlay (Guizhou) Tea Co.Ltd. | Guizhou province, China | 572 m | 1,604 mm | 22.2 °C |
| Hapugastenne Plantations, Springwood | Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka | 582 m | 2,392 mm | 27.6 °C |
| Boscombe | Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka | 548 m | 2,664 mm | 27.5 °C |
| Badamtam Tea Estate | Weste Bengal, India | 608 m | 2,753 mm | 27.2 °C |
| ESPERANZA | Mulanje, Malawi | 643 m | 1,677 mm | 26.9 °C |
Udayakanda Compared with Central Province
In Central Province, Udayakanda is drier than 92% of the others by 2025 rainfall; lower than 89% of the others by elevation; warmer than 88% of the others by daytime temperature. The table sets Udayakanda against the 93 other estates we map in Central Province, so you can see whether it is typical for its region or an outlier.
| Measure | Udayakanda | Region median | Region range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elevation | 575 m | 1,203 m | 37 to 1,924 m |
| Annual rainfall (2025) | 2,513 mm | 3,152 mm | 2,071 to 4,839 mm |
| Mean daily high | 27.6 °C | 23.1 °C | 19.1 to 30.1 °C |
| Mean overnight low | 19.7 °C | 16.4 °C | 12.4 to 22.2 °C |
Observed Climate at Udayakanda (2025)
ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for Udayakanda’s coordinates recorded 2,513 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was November (752 mm) and the driest was February (12 mm). Daytime highs averaged 27.6 °C and overnight lows 19.7 °C over the year; May was the warmest month and January the coolest.
| Metric | 2025 value |
|---|---|
| Annual precipitation | 2,513 mm |
| Wettest month | November (752 mm) |
| Driest month | February (12 mm) |
| Mean daily high | 27.6 °C |
| Mean overnight low | 19.7 °C |
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Udayakanda located?
Udayakanda is in Central Province, Sri Lanka, at coordinates 7.2034, 80.5504, at an elevation of about 575 metres.
What type of tea does Udayakanda produce?
Udayakanda is recorded as producing black tea.
Which buyers does Udayakanda supply?
Public supplier disclosures record Udayakanda as supplying Finlays.
How much rain does Udayakanda receive?
ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 2,513 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in November (752 mm).
How does Udayakanda compare with estates at a similar elevation?
Udayakanda recorded 2,513 mm in 2025, 13% more rain than the 2,218 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].