Yahalatenne

Yahalatenne is a tea estate located in Sri Lanka's Central Province, at an elevation of 625 metres. The estate produces black tea and is recorded as supplying Finlays, a major international tea packer and distributor. Details of the estate's ownership and operational management remain unrecorded in publicly available supply-chain data.

Terroir & Climate

At 625 metres above sea level, Yahalatenne occupies a mid-elevation zone in Sri Lanka's Central Province. Estates at this altitude typically experience a climate that moderates the intense heat of the lowlands while remaining warmer and more humid than the high-grown districts above 1,200 metres. This elevation band generally supports a consistent growing cycle with less pronounced dormancy, allowing for year-round cropping, though the southwest monsoon and inter-monsoon periods tend to influence flush quality and intensity.

The Central Province's topography and rainfall patterns typically favour estates that benefit from well-distributed precipitation and mist cover, which can contribute to steady vegetative growth. At mid-elevation, leaf development is generally faster than in the high-grown zones, and the resultant teas often reflect a balance between the briskness of higher altitudes and the strength and body more commonly associated with low-grown Ceylon teas.

Tea Produced

Yahalatenne produces black tea. Mid-grown Ceylon teas from the Central Province, particularly those cultivated between 600 and 1,000 metres, typically exhibit a medium body with moderate astringency and a rounded, accessible cup character. Estates at this elevation often yield teas that balance briskness with a degree of malty sweetness, making them well-suited to blending as well as single-origin offerings. The flavour profile tends to be less delicate than high-grown Ceylon but retains a clean, bright quality that is characteristic of Sri Lankan manufacture.

Supply Chain & Market Position

Yahalatenne is recorded as supplying Finlays, one of the world's largest tea packers and a significant buyer in the Sri Lankan market. Finlays sources widely across Ceylon's growing districts to serve branded and private-label customers in Europe, North America, and beyond. The estate's inclusion in Finlays' supply base suggests that its output meets the quality and traceability standards required by multinational buyers, and that its mid-grown black teas are likely destined for blending programmes or retail packs distributed through mainstream grocery channels.

• Recorded supplier to  Finlays

Location & Neighbouring Estates

Yahalatenne lies at 7.3158, 80.5795 in Central Province, Sri Lanka. Its 625 m elevation is the 78th highest of 94 estates we map in Central Province. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:

• Kirimetiya — 2.2 km away
• Embilmeegama — 6.2 km away
• Namunukula Plantations, Hindagala — 9.2 km away · Uva Province
• Alagalla — 11 km away
• Dehiwatte — 11 km away

Estates at a Similar Altitude to Yahalatenne

Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match Yahalatenne (625 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. Yahalatenne recorded 3,098 mm in 2025, 21% more than the 2,567 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
Coolbawn	Central Province, Sri Lanka	618 m	3,346 mm	26.7 °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
Kawalazi Tea Estate	D44, Malawi	653 m	2,396 mm	27.2 °C
Balangoda Plantations, Maratenne	Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka	657 m	2,664 mm	26.4 °C

Yahalatenne Compared with Central Province

In Central Province, Yahalatenne is drier than 53% of the others by 2025 rainfall; lower than 83% of the others by elevation; warmer than 85% of the others by daytime temperature. The table sets Yahalatenne 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	Yahalatenne	Region median	Region range
Elevation	625 m	1,203 m	37 to 1,924 m
Annual rainfall (2025)	3,098 mm	3,152 mm	2,071 to 4,839 mm
Mean daily high	27.2 °C	23.1 °C	19.1 to 30.1 °C
Mean overnight low	19.5 °C	16.4 °C	12.4 to 22.2 °C

Observed Climate at Yahalatenne (2025)

ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for Yahalatenne’s coordinates recorded 3,098 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was November (727 mm) and the driest was February (11 mm). Daytime highs averaged 27.2 °C and overnight lows 19.5 °C over the year; March was the warmest month and November the coolest.

Metric	2025 value
Annual precipitation	3,098 mm
Wettest month	November (727 mm)
Driest month	February (11 mm)
Mean daily high	27.2 °C
Mean overnight low	19.5 °C

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Yahalatenne located?

Yahalatenne is in Central Province, Sri Lanka, at coordinates 7.3158, 80.5795, at an elevation of about 625 metres.

What type of tea does Yahalatenne produce?

Yahalatenne is recorded as producing black tea.

Which buyers does Yahalatenne supply?

Public supplier disclosures record Yahalatenne as supplying Finlays.

How much rain does Yahalatenne receive?

ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 3,098 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in November (727 mm).

How does Yahalatenne compare with estates at a similar elevation?

Yahalatenne recorded 3,098 mm in 2025, 21% more rain than the 2,567 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].