Balangoda Plantations, Cecilton

Balangoda Plantations, Cecilton is a tea estate situated in Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka, at an elevation of 797 metres. The estate operates under the name Balangoda Plantations, Cecilton and is recorded as a supplier to Finlays, one of the established tea traders and packers in the global market. The estate produces black tea.

Terroir & Climate

At 797 metres above sea level, Cecilton occupies what is generally considered low-grown territory in the Sri Lankan classification system, which tends to distinguish estates below approximately 600–700 metres from those at mid and high elevations. Estates at this altitude in Sri Lanka's interior typically experience warmer temperatures and higher humidity than their high-grown counterparts, conditions that generally favour vigorous vegetative growth and year-round cropping with less pronounced seasonal dormancy.

Sabaragamuwa Province, located in the south-central wet zone, is characterised by reliable monsoon rainfall and relatively stable temperatures. These conditions tend to produce leaf that grows quickly and yields liquor with body and strength. The interplay of warmth, moisture, and the region's lateritic soils often supports robust fermentation and the development of malty, full-bodied character in orthodox black tea production, though specific horticultural and processing practices naturally vary from estate to estate.

Tea Produced

As a black tea producer at low-grown elevation in Sabaragamuwa, Cecilton's output would typically be expected to yield a cup with good body, colour, and strength. Low-grown Sri Lankan teas are often characterised by malty, robust flavour profiles and a deep, coppery infusion, qualities that tend to appeal to blenders seeking structure and consistency. Estates in this region generally produce teas suited to both traditional loose-leaf formats and CTC styles destined for teabags and blends, though the specific manufacturing methods employed at Cecilton are not detailed in available records.

Supply Chain & Market Position

Cecilton's connection to Finlays places it within the supply chain of one of the tea industry's most prominent intermediaries. Finlays operates as a major tea packer, blender, and supply-chain partner to retail brands and foodservice clients worldwide, sourcing leaf from estates across all major origins. The estate's inclusion in Finlays' sourcing portfolio suggests its production meets the quality, volume, and traceability standards required by a buyer serving international markets. This relationship indicates that Cecilton's teas are likely destined for blended products and private-label lines distributed in multiple geographies, rather than being marketed as single-estate or origin-specific offerings.

• Recorded supplier to  Finlays

Location & Neighbouring Estates

Balangoda Plantations, Cecilton lies at 6.7283, 80.6675 in Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka. Its 797 m elevation is the 3rd highest of 75 estates we map in Sabaragamuwa Province. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:

• Sherwood — 2.9 km away
• Balangoda Plantations, New Rasagalla — 5.2 km away
• Kotiyagala Tea Estate — 6.9 km away · Nuwaraeliya District
• Bogawantalawa Plantations, Campion — 7.0 km away · Central Province
• Bogawantalawa Plantations, Bogawana — 7.7 km away · Central Province

Estates at a Similar Altitude to Balangoda Plantations, Cecilton

Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match Balangoda Plantations, Cecilton (797 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. Balangoda Plantations, Cecilton recorded 3,088 mm in 2025, 19% more than the 2,602 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
Cooroondoowatte	Central Province, Sri Lanka	794 m	2,750 mm	26.1 °C
Shin-Yu-Min Co., Ltd.	Yuchi Township, Taiwan	793 m	3,160 mm	24.1 °C
Moongalaar Tea Estate	Periyar, India	804 m	2,600 mm	25.8 °C
Yahaladuwa	Southern Province, Sri Lanka	806 m	2,750 mm	25.9 °C
Choke Chamroen Tea Co Ltd	Chiang Rai, Thailand	806 m	1,748 mm	26.0 °C

Balangoda Plantations, Cecilton Compared with Sabaragamuwa Province

In Sabaragamuwa Province, Balangoda Plantations, Cecilton is drier than 66% of the others by 2025 rainfall; higher than 97% of the others by elevation; cooler than 97% of the others by daytime temperature. The table sets Balangoda Plantations, Cecilton 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	Balangoda Plantations, Cecilton	Region median	Region range
Elevation	797 m	164 m	26 to 1,355 m
Annual rainfall (2025)	3,088 mm	3,412 mm	2,018 to 4,839 mm
Mean daily high	25.7 °C	29.5 °C	21.5 to 30.9 °C
Mean overnight low	19.0 °C	21.9 °C	15.7 to 23.0 °C

Observed Climate at Balangoda Plantations, Cecilton (2025)

ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for Balangoda Plantations, Cecilton’s coordinates recorded 3,088 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was November (662 mm) and the driest was August (76 mm). Daytime highs averaged 25.7 °C and overnight lows 19.0 °C over the year; June was the warmest month and December the coolest.

Metric	2025 value
Annual precipitation	3,088 mm
Wettest month	November (662 mm)
Driest month	August (76 mm)
Mean daily high	25.7 °C
Mean overnight low	19.0 °C

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Balangoda Plantations, Cecilton located?

Balangoda Plantations, Cecilton is in Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka, at coordinates 6.7283, 80.6675, at an elevation of about 797 metres.

Who operates Balangoda Plantations, Cecilton?

Balangoda Plantations, Cecilton is operated by Balangoda Plantations, Cecilton, according to public supply-chain records.

What type of tea does Balangoda Plantations, Cecilton produce?

Balangoda Plantations, Cecilton is recorded as producing black tea.

Which buyers does Balangoda Plantations, Cecilton supply?

Public supplier disclosures record Balangoda Plantations, Cecilton as supplying Finlays.

How much rain does Balangoda Plantations, Cecilton receive?

ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 3,088 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in November (662 mm).

How does Balangoda Plantations, Cecilton compare with estates at a similar elevation?

Balangoda Plantations, Cecilton recorded 3,088 mm in 2025, 19% more rain than the 2,602 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].