Ferndale

Ferndale is a tea estate situated in Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka, at an elevation of 183 metres above sea level. The estate produces black tea and is recorded as supplying Finlays, a major participant in the global tea trade. No information regarding the current operator is publicly available.

Terroir & Climate

At 183 metres, Ferndale occupies the low-grown belt of Sri Lankan tea country, where estates generally benefit from warmer temperatures and faster growth cycles than their mid- or high-elevation counterparts. The estate's position in Sabaragamuwa Province, a region spanning wet and intermediate climatic zones, typically offers substantial rainfall distributed across much of the year, though specific patterns depend on the interplay of monsoons and local topography.

Low-grown estates in Sri Lanka tend to yield vigorous leaf production year-round, with estates at this altitude often experiencing less pronounced dormancy than plantations at higher elevations. The warmer, more humid conditions generally associated with such altitudes can favour rapid vegetative growth, and flush cycles are usually shorter, allowing for frequent harvesting. These environmental factors typically shape both the volume potential and the chemical composition of the leaf harvested.

Tea Produced

Ferndale produces black tea, the category that dominates Sri Lanka's low-grown output. Estates at this elevation in Sri Lanka typically yield full-bodied, robust teas with pronounced strength and colour, characteristics often favoured in blends intended for breakfast styles and value segments. The cup profile of low-grown Ceylon black teas generally emphasises bold, straightforward character rather than the aromatic complexity or bright, brisk notes more commonly associated with high-elevation gardens. These attributes tend to make low-grown teas well suited to milk-based service and commercial blending applications.

Supply Chain & Market Position

Ferndale is recorded as supplying Finlays, a vertically integrated global tea business with operations spanning estate production, processing, blending, and packing. Finlays sources tea from a wide network of estates across East Africa and South Asia, and the company supplies major international brands as well as operating its own downstream businesses. The presence of Finlays as a recorded buyer suggests that Ferndale's output is likely channelled into supply chains serving large-scale commercial blenders and retail brands, rather than being marketed directly to specialist or single-estate buyers. This positions the estate within the mainstream commodity segment of the Sri Lankan tea industry.

• Recorded supplier to  Finlays

Location & Neighbouring Estates

Ferndale lies at 6.7054, 80.4686 in Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka. Its 183 m elevation is the 36th highest of 75 estates we map in Sabaragamuwa Province. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:

• Spring View — 4.8 km away
• KDU, Galpaditenne — 4.8 km away
• KDU, Matuwagalla — 4.9 km away
• KDU, Peekview — 4.9 km away
• Nawagamuwahena — 4.9 km away

Estates at a Similar Altitude to Ferndale

Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match Ferndale (183 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. Ferndale recorded 3,902 mm in 2025, 71% more than the 2,284 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
Sirah Kencong	East Java Province, Indonesia	184 m	2,832 mm	29.6 °C
Hannam Tea Estate	Seogwipo-si, Korea Republic Of	185 m	2,142 mm	18.6 °C
Atelier Sueyoshi Seicha Llc	Soo-Shi, Japan	187 m	1,811 mm	21.4 °C
Andaradeniya Estate, Devonia	Southern Province, Sri Lanka	179 m	2,626 mm	29.5 °C
Ocha No Kajihara	Kumamoto, Japan	178 m	2,010 mm	21.3 °C

Ferndale Compared with Sabaragamuwa Province

In Sabaragamuwa Province, Ferndale is wetter than 61% of the others by 2025 rainfall; higher than 53% of the others by elevation; cooler than 53% of the others by daytime temperature. The table sets Ferndale 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	Ferndale	Region median	Region range
Elevation	183 m	164 m	26 to 1,355 m
Annual rainfall (2025)	3,902 mm	3,390 mm	2,018 to 4,839 mm
Mean daily high	29.5 °C	29.5 °C	21.5 to 30.9 °C
Mean overnight low	21.9 °C	21.9 °C	15.7 to 23.0 °C

Observed Climate at Ferndale (2025)

ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for Ferndale’s coordinates recorded 3,902 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was November (576 mm) and the driest was February (59 mm). Daytime highs averaged 29.5 °C and overnight lows 21.9 °C over the year; April was the warmest month and January the coolest.

Metric	2025 value
Annual precipitation	3,902 mm
Wettest month	November (576 mm)
Driest month	February (59 mm)
Mean daily high	29.5 °C
Mean overnight low	21.9 °C

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Ferndale located?

Ferndale is in Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka, at coordinates 6.7054, 80.4686, at an elevation of about 183 metres.

What type of tea does Ferndale produce?

Ferndale is recorded as producing black tea.

Which buyers does Ferndale supply?

Public supplier disclosures record Ferndale as supplying Finlays.

How much rain does Ferndale receive?

ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 3,902 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in November (576 mm).

How does Ferndale compare with estates at a similar elevation?

Ferndale recorded 3,902 mm in 2025, 71% more rain than the 2,284 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].