In short: Ayagama is a low-grown tea estate in Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka, at 71 metres elevation, recorded as supplying Finlays.
Ayagama is a tea estate located in Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka, at an elevation of 71 metres above sea level. The estate produces black tea and is recorded as supplying Finlays, the multinational tea and horticulture company. The operator of the estate is not presently documented in public records.
Terroir & Climate
At 71 metres elevation, Ayagama falls firmly within Sri Lanka's low-grown category, a designation that typically applies to estates below 600 metres. Low-grown Ceylon teas generally experience warmer temperatures and higher humidity year-round, conditions that tend to accelerate leaf growth and produce a faster plucking cycle than the cooler, slower-maturing high elevations.
Estates at this altitude in Sri Lanka's wet zone often benefit from substantial rainfall, particularly during the southwest monsoon, though the precise microclimate will vary with local topography and proximity to watercourses. The faster vegetative growth characteristic of low elevations typically yields a leaf with bolder character and deeper colour in the cup, though these are general tendencies rather than certified attributes of this particular estate.
Tea Produced
Ayagama produces black tea. Low-grown Ceylon black teas generally yield a full-bodied, robust cup with strong colour and a straightforward, malty character. Estates at this elevation tend to produce leaf suited to blending and to applications where strength and consistency are valued over the delicate complexity associated with high-grown districts. The warmer growing conditions typically result in teas with less aromatic nuance but greater body and astringency.
Supply Chain & Market Position
Ayagama is recorded as supplying Finlays, a vertically integrated business with tea-growing, processing, blending and distribution operations across multiple continents. Finlays sources from numerous origins and supplies own-label and branded tea to retailers and foodservice customers globally. The relationship places Ayagama within a large-scale commercial supply chain, suggesting that its output is likely destined for blending and mainstream tea products rather than single-estate or speciality retail.
- Recorded supplier to Finlays
Location & Neighbouring Estates
Ayagama lies at 6.6043, 80.3390 in Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka. Its 71 m elevation is the 62nd highest of 75 estates we map in Sabaragamuwa Province. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:
- Agalawatte Plantations, Delgoda — 6.2 km away
- Falcon — 6.9 km away
- Kalawana, Rain Forest — 7.4 km away
- Millavitiya — 8.4 km away
- Evergreen Group, Karawita — 8.9 km away
Estates at a Similar Altitude to Ayagama
Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match Ayagama (71 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. Ayagama recorded 3,412 mm in 2025, 57% more than the 2,174 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunan Xiaoxiang Tea Industry Co., Ltd. - Changsha | Changsha, China | 71 m | 1,171 mm | 24.3 °C |
| HUNAN TEA COMPANY | FURONG DISTRICT, China | 70 m | 1,327 mm | 24.7 °C |
| Mcleod Russel India Ltd, Dimakusi Tea Factory | Assam, India | 69 m | 2,775 mm | 29.4 °C |
| Samrin | Southern Province, Sri Lanka | 69 m | 3,195 mm | 29.6 °C |
| Zaman Tea Agro Factory | Panchagarh, Bangladesh | 68 m | 2,403 mm | 28.8 °C |
Ayagama Compared with Sabaragamuwa Province
In Sabaragamuwa Province, Ayagama is wetter than 50% of the others by 2025 rainfall; lower than 82% of the others by elevation; warmer than 97% of the others by daytime temperature. The table sets Ayagama against the 74 other estates we map in Sabaragamuwa Province, so you can see whether it is typical for its region or an outlier.
| Measure | Ayagama | Region median | Region range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elevation | 71 m | 167 m | 26 to 1,355 m |
| Annual rainfall (2025) | 3,412 mm | 3,390 mm | 2,018 to 4,839 mm |
| Mean daily high | 30.4 °C | 29.5 °C | 21.5 to 30.9 °C |
| Mean overnight low | 22.5 °C | 21.9 °C | 15.7 to 23.0 °C |
Observed Climate at Ayagama (2025)
ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for Ayagama’s coordinates recorded 3,412 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was November (570 mm) and the driest was February (57 mm). Daytime highs averaged 30.4 °C and overnight lows 22.5 °C over the year; March was the warmest month and January the coolest.
| Metric | 2025 value |
|---|---|
| Annual precipitation | 3,412 mm |
| Wettest month | November (570 mm) |
| Driest month | February (57 mm) |
| Mean daily high | 30.4 °C |
| Mean overnight low | 22.5 °C |
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Ayagama located?
Ayagama is in Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka, at coordinates 6.6043, 80.3390, at an elevation of about 71 metres.
What type of tea does Ayagama produce?
Ayagama is recorded as producing black tea.
Which buyers does Ayagama supply?
Public supplier disclosures record Ayagama as supplying Finlays.
How much rain does Ayagama receive?
ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 3,412 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in November (570 mm).
How does Ayagama compare with estates at a similar elevation?
Ayagama recorded 3,412 mm in 2025, 57% more rain than the 2,174 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].