In short: Gangalagamuwa is a black tea estate in Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka, at 304 metres altitude, recorded as a supplier to Finlays.
Gangalagamuwa is a tea estate located in Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka, at an elevation of 304 metres above sea level. It produces black tea and is recorded as a supplier to Finlays, a major vertically integrated tea and beverage group with estates, processing facilities, and supply‑chain operations across Sri Lanka and East Africa.
Terroir & Climate
At 304 metres, Gangalagamuwa sits in Sri Lanka's low-grown zone, a designation that typically encompasses estates below approximately 600 metres. Low-elevation areas in the island's humid tropical belt generally experience warmer temperatures and faster rates of photosynthesis and flush development than mid- or high-grown counterparts. In Sabaragamuwa Province, which lies inland from the southern and western coastal plains, estates at this altitude often benefit from a combination of regular rainfall and relatively consistent temperatures year-round, conditions that tend to support vigorous vegetative growth and frequent plucking cycles.
The low-grown terroir typically produces leaf with greater body and strength than the more delicate high-grown teas of the central highlands. While the estate's specific soils and microclimate are not recorded, estates at similar elevations in this region generally yield teas with bold, robust character suited to blending and formats requiring strength and colour in the cup.
Tea Produced
Gangalagamuwa produces black tea. Low-grown black teas from Sabaragamuwa Province typically offer full-bodied, malty profiles with strong colour and briskness, characteristics often prized by blenders and commercial buyers. While cup character can vary with plucking standard, processing technique, and seasonal conditions, estates at this elevation in Sri Lanka generally produce teas that deliver consistent strength and astringency, making them well-suited to both domestic and export blending, as well as to formats such as teabags and ready-to-drink beverages where robustness and extraction efficiency are valued.
Supply Chain & Market Position
Gangalagamuwa is recorded as a supplier to Finlays, a vertically integrated tea group with a substantial footprint in Sri Lanka's low- and mid-grown zones, as well as processing and blending operations serving major international buyers. Finlays' presence in the supply chain typically indicates that the estate's output is channelled into large-volume commercial flows, often destined for branded tea packers, foodservice operators, and retail own-label programmes in Europe, the Middle East, and North America. The relationship suggests that Gangalagamuwa's production meets the quality, volume, and consistency benchmarks required by buyers operating at scale in the global commodity and blended-tea segments.
- Recorded supplier to Finlays
Location & Neighbouring Estates
Gangalagamuwa lies at 6.4646, 80.4318 in Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka. Its 304 m elevation is the 24th highest of 75 estates we map in Sabaragamuwa Province. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:
- Veddagala — under 1 km away
- Wewelkandura — 7.4 km away
- Haughton — 7.6 km away
- New Vithanakanda — 8.5 km away
- Aennen — 9.2 km away
Estates at a Similar Altitude to Gangalagamuwa
Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match Gangalagamuwa (304 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. Gangalagamuwa recorded 3,368 mm in 2025, 53% more than the 2,204 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good Young Co. Ltd. | Longtan Dist, Taiwan | 301 m | 2,475 mm | 26.4 °C |
| Broadlands Tea Factory | Kalugala-Laxapana Rd, Sri Lanka | 297 m | 4,260 mm | 28.7 °C |
| Waterfall Tea Estate | Valparai, India | 313 m | 1,020 mm | 32.1 °C |
| ZTG Qinliu Tea Base | Fujian Province, China | 316 m | 1,643 mm | 25.8 °C |
| Harmutty | India, India | 291 m | 1,622 mm | 30.5 °C |
Gangalagamuwa Compared with Sabaragamuwa Province
In Sabaragamuwa Province, Gangalagamuwa is drier than 55% of the others by 2025 rainfall; higher than 69% of the others by elevation; cooler than 70% of the others by daytime temperature. The table sets Gangalagamuwa 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 | Gangalagamuwa | Region median | Region range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elevation | 304 m | 164 m | 26 to 1,355 m |
| Annual rainfall (2025) | 3,368 mm | 3,412 mm | 2,018 to 4,839 mm |
| Mean daily high | 28.7 °C | 29.5 °C | 21.5 to 30.9 °C |
| Mean overnight low | 21.7 °C | 21.9 °C | 15.7 to 23.0 °C |
Observed Climate at Gangalagamuwa (2025)
ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for Gangalagamuwa’s coordinates recorded 3,368 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was November (562 mm) and the driest was February (71 mm). Daytime highs averaged 28.7 °C and overnight lows 21.7 °C over the year; March was the warmest month and January the coolest.
| Metric | 2025 value |
|---|---|
| Annual precipitation | 3,368 mm |
| Wettest month | November (562 mm) |
| Driest month | February (71 mm) |
| Mean daily high | 28.7 °C |
| Mean overnight low | 21.7 °C |
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Gangalagamuwa located?
Gangalagamuwa is in Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka, at coordinates 6.4646, 80.4318, at an elevation of about 304 metres.
What type of tea does Gangalagamuwa produce?
Gangalagamuwa is recorded as producing black tea.
Which buyers does Gangalagamuwa supply?
Public supplier disclosures record Gangalagamuwa as supplying Finlays.
How much rain does Gangalagamuwa receive?
ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 3,368 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in November (562 mm).
How does Gangalagamuwa compare with estates at a similar elevation?
Gangalagamuwa recorded 3,368 mm in 2025, 53% more rain than the 2,204 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].