In short: Kahawatte Plantations, Opatha is a black tea estate in Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka, operating at 155 metres elevation and recorded as a supplier to Finlays.
Kahawatte Plantations, Opatha is a tea estate in Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka, operating at an elevation of 155 metres. The estate is operated by Kahawatte Plantations, Opatha and is recorded as a supplier to Finlays, the British tea and beverage ingredients business.
Terroir & Climate
At 155 metres above sea level, this estate falls firmly within Sri Lanka's low-grown category, a designation that typically encompasses properties below 600 metres. Low-grown estates in this latitude—just north of six degrees—tend to experience warm, consistent temperatures year-round, with growing conditions that favour rapid leaf development. The Sabaragamuwa Province lies inland from the southern coast, and estates at this elevation in the region generally contend with higher ambient temperatures and more pronounced humidity than their high-grown counterparts in the central highlands.
Low-elevation environments of this kind typically yield a faster plucking cycle, allowing for higher-volume production over the course of the year. The warmer growing conditions at this altitude tend to produce leaf that is bolder and faster-oxidising, characteristics that generally suit the production of robust black teas. Rainfall patterns in the Sabaragamuwa low country are influenced by both monsoon systems, though specific precipitation data for this estate has not been recorded.
Tea Produced
This estate produces black tea. Low-grown Sri Lankan black teas from this elevation band typically yield a strong, full-bodied cup with good colour and briskness, characteristics that tend to make them well-suited to blending. Estates at similar altitudes in Sabaragamuwa Province often produce leaf with a robust, malty character and较少 of the aromatic complexity associated with high-grown Ceylon teas. The style is generally straightforward and assertive, with the kind of strength that performs well in breakfast blends and value segments where body and colour are prioritised over nuance.
Supply Chain & Market Position
Kahawatte Plantations, Opatha is recorded as supplying Finlays, a major player in the global tea supply chain with extensive sourcing, blending, and packing operations. Finlays services a wide range of retail and food-service customers internationally, and its sourcing footprint in Sri Lanka is substantial. A supply relationship with Finlays typically indicates that an estate's production meets the volume, consistency, and quality benchmarks required for large-scale blending and branded retail programmes, positioning this estate within the industrial rather than boutique segment of the Ceylon tea trade.
- Recorded supplier to Finlays
Location & Neighbouring Estates
Kahawatte Plantations, Opatha lies at 6.6345, 80.5300 in Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka. Its 155 m elevation is the joint 41st highest of 75 estates we map in Sabaragamuwa Province. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:
- New Temple View — under 1 km away
- Kahawatte Plantations, Hunuwella — under 1 km away
- Kahawatte Plantations, Rilhena — 1.1 km away
- KDU, New Kandagastenne — 3.2 km away
- Kongahawatte — 3.2 km away
Estates at a Similar Altitude to Kahawatte Plantations, Opatha
Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match Kahawatte Plantations, Opatha (155 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. Kahawatte Plantations, Opatha recorded 3,902 mm in 2025, 50% more than the 2,603 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coombergram | PO KUMBHIRCACHAR ASSAM 788 108 Jorhat, India | 155 m | 3,190 mm | 29.1 °C |
| Rotumba | Southern Province, Sri Lanka | 155 m | 2,342 mm | 29.6 °C |
| Pengaree | Assam, India | 153 m | 2,841 mm | 28.7 °C |
| Evergreen Group, Kanneliya | Southern Province, Sri Lanka | 153 m | 3,234 mm | 30.2 °C |
| Anhui Huangshan United Keemun Tea Co., Ltd. - Office and Factory | Anhui Huangshan Eoconomic Development Zone, China | 149 m | 1,408 mm | 24.6 °C |
Kahawatte Plantations, Opatha Compared with Sabaragamuwa Province
In Sabaragamuwa Province, Kahawatte Plantations, Opatha is wetter than 61% of the others by 2025 rainfall; lower than 57% of the others by elevation; warmer than 65% of the others by daytime temperature. The table sets Kahawatte Plantations, Opatha 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 | Kahawatte Plantations, Opatha | Region median | Region range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elevation | 155 m | 167 m | 26 to 1,355 m |
| Annual rainfall (2025) | 3,902 mm | 3,390 mm | 2,018 to 4,839 mm |
| Mean daily high | 29.7 °C | 29.5 °C | 21.5 to 30.9 °C |
| Mean overnight low | 22.3 °C | 21.9 °C | 15.7 to 23.0 °C |
Observed Climate at Kahawatte Plantations, Opatha (2025)
ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for Kahawatte Plantations, Opatha’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 29.7 °C and overnight lows 22.3 °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 | 29.7 °C |
| Mean overnight low | 22.3 °C |
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Kahawatte Plantations, Opatha located?
Kahawatte Plantations, Opatha is in Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka, at coordinates 6.6345, 80.5300, at an elevation of about 155 metres.
Who operates Kahawatte Plantations, Opatha?
Kahawatte Plantations, Opatha is operated by Kahawatte Plantations, Opatha, according to public supply-chain records.
What type of tea does Kahawatte Plantations, Opatha produce?
Kahawatte Plantations, Opatha is recorded as producing black tea.
Which buyers does Kahawatte Plantations, Opatha supply?
Public supplier disclosures record Kahawatte Plantations, Opatha as supplying Finlays.
How much rain does Kahawatte Plantations, Opatha receive?
ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 3,902 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in November (576 mm).
How does Kahawatte Plantations, Opatha compare with estates at a similar elevation?
Kahawatte Plantations, Opatha recorded 3,902 mm in 2025, 50% more rain than the 2,603 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].
