In short: Walaboda is a low-grown tea estate in the Ratnapura district of Sri Lanka, operated by Stassen Exports and recorded as a supplier to the UK supermarket chain Morrisons.
Walaboda is a tea estate situated in the Ratnapura district of Sri Lanka, at an elevation of approximately 502 metres above sea level. The property is operated by Stassen Exports, a Sri Lankan tea exporter with interests in multiple estates across the island. Walaboda produces black tea and is known to supply Morrisons, the UK supermarket chain.
Terroir & Climate
At 502 metres, Walaboda falls within Sri Lanka's low-grown tea zone, a designation that typically applies to estates below 600 metres. Properties at this elevation in the island's south-western wet zone generally experience warm, humid conditions year-round, with rainfall distributed across much of the calendar rather than concentrated in distinct monsoon windows. Low-grown Sri Lankan estates tend to produce leaf rapidly, with flush cycles that allow for frequent plucking.
Ratnapura district sits south-west of the central highlands, in a region known for high precipitation and tropical warmth. Estates at this latitude and altitude often yield leaf with robust body and strength rather than the delicate aromatics associated with higher elevations. The combination of warmth, moisture, and lower altitude generally favours vigorous vegetative growth and darker, fuller oxidation profiles in black tea manufacture.
Tea Produced
Walaboda produces black tea. Low-grown Sri Lankan blacks from the Ratnapura belt typically deliver bold, malty cups with good colour and body, characteristics that lend themselves to blending and to retail markets seeking strength and consistency. Estates at this elevation often produce teas with less floral complexity than their high-grown counterparts but with a directness and depth that perform well in breakfast blends and everyday tea-bag formats.
Supply Chain & Market Position
Walaboda is recorded as a supplier to Morrisons, one of the United Kingdom's major supermarket chains. This relationship indicates the estate's integration into mainstream retail supply chains, where volume, consistency, and traceability are paramount. Supplying a large UK grocer suggests that Walaboda's output meets the quality assurance and audit standards required by British retailers, and that its production scale and reliability are sufficient to service such contracts.
- Recorded supplier to Morrisons
Operator
Walaboda is operated by Stassen Exports, a Sri Lankan company active in tea export and estate management. Stassen Exports operates four other tea estates recorded in this directory, indicating a portfolio approach to production and supply. The company's presence across multiple sites suggests an ability to aggregate volume and manage supply-chain relationships at a scale relevant to international buyers.
Location & Neighbouring Estates
Walaboda lies at 6.6669, 80.7048 in Ratnapura, Sri Lanka. Its 502 m elevation is the joint 177th highest of 429 estates we map in Sri Lanka. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:
- Rasagalla — under 1 km away
- Balangoda Tea Shakthi — 1.5 km away · Sabaragamuwa Province
- Boscombe — 2.9 km away · Sabaragamuwa Province
- Kadigalahena — 3.2 km away · Sabaragamuwa Province
- Balangoda Plantations, Maratenne — 3.2 km away · Sabaragamuwa Province
Estates at a Similar Altitude to Walaboda
Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match Walaboda (502 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. Walaboda recorded 2,664 mm in 2025, 17% more than the 2,270 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richiland | Southern Province, Sri Lanka | 507 m | 3,484 mm | 26.9 °C |
| Embilmeegama | Central Province, Sri Lanka | 510 m | 2,534 mm | 28.8 °C |
| J Llorente Y Cias A | Misiones, Argentina | 482 m | 1,810 mm | 25.7 °C |
| Ariel | Route 14 / Km 962 / Dos de Mayo () Misiones, Argentina | 479 m | 1,831 mm | 25.3 °C |
| Tianhua Luoping Tea Industry Co., Ltd. | China, China | 478 m | 1,689 mm | 22.3 °C |
Walaboda Compared with Sri Lanka
In Sri Lanka, Walaboda is drier than 72% of the others by 2025 rainfall; higher than 58% of the others by elevation; cooler than 64% of the others by daytime temperature. The table sets Walaboda against the 428 other estates we map in Sri Lanka, so you can see whether it is typical for its country or an outlier.
| Measure | Walaboda | Country median | Country range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elevation | 502 m | 298 m | 6 to 1,962 m |
| Annual rainfall (2025) | 2,664 mm | 3,051 mm | 2,018 to 4,839 mm |
| Mean daily high | 27.5 °C | 28.8 °C | 18.9 to 31.3 °C |
| Mean overnight low | 20.6 °C | 21.7 °C | 12.4 to 24.3 °C |
Observed Climate at Walaboda (2025)
ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for Walaboda’s coordinates recorded 2,664 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was November (629 mm) and the driest was February (44 mm). Daytime highs averaged 27.5 °C and overnight lows 20.6 °C over the year; July was the warmest month and January the coolest.
| Metric | 2025 value |
|---|---|
| Annual precipitation | 2,664 mm |
| Wettest month | November (629 mm) |
| Driest month | February (44 mm) |
| Mean daily high | 27.5 °C |
| Mean overnight low | 20.6 °C |
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Walaboda located?
Walaboda is in Ratnapura, Sri Lanka, at coordinates 6.6669, 80.7048, at an elevation of about 502 metres.
Who operates Walaboda?
Walaboda is operated by Stassen Exports, according to public supply-chain records.
What type of tea does Walaboda produce?
Walaboda is recorded as producing black tea.
Which buyers does Walaboda supply?
Public supplier disclosures record Walaboda as supplying Morrisons.
How much rain does Walaboda receive?
ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 2,664 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in November (629 mm).
How does Walaboda compare with estates at a similar elevation?
Walaboda recorded 2,664 mm in 2025, 17% more rain than the 2,270 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].