In short: Balangoda Plantations, Meddakande is a low-grown black tea estate in Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka, recorded as supplying Finlays.
Balangoda Plantations, Meddakande is a tea estate located in Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka, at an elevation of just 27 metres above sea level. The estate produces black tea and is recorded as supplying Finlays, a major tea trading and processing company with extensive operations across East Africa and South Asia.
Terroir & Climate
At 27 metres elevation, this estate sits in Sri Lanka's low-grown zone, a designation that typically begins at altitudes below 600 metres. Estates at this elevation generally experience warmer temperatures and more consistent year-round growing conditions than their counterparts in the mid- or high-grown districts. The climate in low-grown zones tends to promote faster leaf growth and a more robust character in the finished tea.
Sabaragamuwa Province, which extends from low-lying areas to higher terrain further inland, is less commonly cited in export markets than Uva or Nuwara Eliya, yet it accounts for a significant share of Sri Lanka's total tea output. Estates at this latitude and altitude typically enjoy ample rainfall and heat, conditions that generally favour high yields and teas with pronounced body and colour.
Tea Produced
The estate produces black tea. Low-grown Ceylon teas are typically characterised by strength, deeper colour, and a fuller body compared to the lighter, more delicate profiles associated with high-elevation gardens. Estates at this altitude often yield teas suited to blending, prized for their consistency, briskness, and ability to deliver colour and body in a cup. While specific sensory descriptors for this estate are not recorded, the elevation and region suggest a style likely to favour robustness over the floral or citrus notes more common at altitude.
Supply Chain & Market Position
Balangoda Plantations, Meddakande is recorded as supplying Finlays, a vertically integrated tea business with a global footprint in sourcing, processing, and blending. Finlays operates its own estates and also sources from independent producers across tea-growing regions; its involvement as a buyer signals that this estate's output meets the volume, quality, and traceability requirements of a major international supply chain. The connection suggests the estate's production is destined for blending or onward sale to retail and foodservice brands, rather than direct consumer sale under an estate name.
- Recorded supplier to Finlays
Location & Neighbouring Estates
Balangoda Plantations, Meddakande lies at 6.7396, 80.3659 in Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka. Its 27 m elevation is the 72nd highest of 75 estates we map in Sabaragamuwa Province. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:
- KDU, Peak Paradise — 2.0 km away
- Hidellana Tea Factory — 3.8 km away · Ratnapura
- Balangoda Plantations, Palm Garden — 4.3 km away
- Non Pareil — 4.3 km away · Ratnapura
- Agalawatte Plantations, Doloswella — 5.0 km away
Estates at a Similar Altitude to Balangoda Plantations, Meddakande
Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match Balangoda Plantations, Meddakande (27 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. Balangoda Plantations, Meddakande recorded 4,458 mm in 2025, 68% more than the 2,647 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Satgaon tea Factory | Moulvibazar, Bangladesh | 27 m | 2,201 mm | 30.2 °C |
| HQ Sipef, Cibuni Factory | North Sumatra, Indonesia | 27 m | 4,307 mm | 30.6 °C |
| Imbulgahagoda | Southern Province, Sri Lanka | 27 m | 3,323 mm | 29.6 °C |
| Jungalebari cha bagan | Sylhet, Bangladesh | 28 m | 2,123 mm | 30.2 °C |
| Hangzhou Kainong Factory | Zhejiang, China | 26 m | 1,280 mm | 24.8 °C |
Balangoda Plantations, Meddakande Compared with Sabaragamuwa Province
In Sabaragamuwa Province, Balangoda Plantations, Meddakande is wetter than 86% of the others by 2025 rainfall; lower than 96% of the others by elevation; warmer than 86% of the others by daytime temperature. The table sets Balangoda Plantations, Meddakande 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, Meddakande | Region median | Region range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elevation | 27 m | 167 m | 26 to 1,355 m |
| Annual rainfall (2025) | 4,458 mm | 3,390 mm | 2,018 to 4,839 mm |
| Mean daily high | 30.2 °C | 29.5 °C | 21.5 to 30.9 °C |
| Mean overnight low | 23.0 °C | 21.9 °C | 15.7 to 23.0 °C |
Observed Climate at Balangoda Plantations, Meddakande (2025)
ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for Balangoda Plantations, Meddakande’s coordinates recorded 4,458 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was November (662 mm) and the driest was February (80 mm). Daytime highs averaged 30.2 °C and overnight lows 23.0 °C over the year; March was the warmest month and January the coolest.
| Metric | 2025 value |
|---|---|
| Annual precipitation | 4,458 mm |
| Wettest month | November (662 mm) |
| Driest month | February (80 mm) |
| Mean daily high | 30.2 °C |
| Mean overnight low | 23.0 °C |
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Balangoda Plantations, Meddakande located?
Balangoda Plantations, Meddakande is in Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka, at coordinates 6.7396, 80.3659, at an elevation of about 27 metres.
Who operates Balangoda Plantations, Meddakande?
Balangoda Plantations, Meddakande is operated by Balangoda Plantations, Meddakande, according to public supply-chain records.
What type of tea does Balangoda Plantations, Meddakande produce?
Balangoda Plantations, Meddakande is recorded as producing black tea.
Which buyers does Balangoda Plantations, Meddakande supply?
Public supplier disclosures record Balangoda Plantations, Meddakande as supplying Finlays.
How much rain does Balangoda Plantations, Meddakande receive?
ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 4,458 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in November (662 mm).
How does Balangoda Plantations, Meddakande compare with estates at a similar elevation?
Balangoda Plantations, Meddakande recorded 4,458 mm in 2025, 68% more rain than the 2,647 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].
