Kahawatte Plantations, Poronuwa

Kahawatte Plantations, Poronuwa is a tea estate located in Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka, at an altitude of approximately 155 metres above sea level. The estate produces black tea and is recorded as a supplier to Finlays, a major name in the international tea trade.

Terroir & Climate

At 155 metres, Poronuwa occupies the low-grown category of Sri Lankan tea production, a band that extends from sea level to around 600 metres. Estates at this elevation typically experience warmer temperatures and faster vegetative growth than their mid- or high-grown counterparts, which tends to favour volume and body over the delicate aromatics associated with cooler climates. The Sabaragamuwa Province lies in the island's south-central interior, where monsoonal rainfall patterns generally support year-round cultivation, though the intensity and distribution of rain can vary significantly within the region.

Low-grown teas from Sri Lanka are generally harvested on shorter plucking cycles due to the accelerated flush caused by heat and moisture. This elevation tends to yield leaf that is robust and comparatively high in tannin and colour, qualities that have historically made low-grown Ceylon teas well suited to blending for strength and consistency. The specific mesoclimate at Poronuwa—shaped by proximity to water sources, slope aspect, and local vegetation—will influence cup character, though such details are not available in the public record.

Tea Produced

Poronuwa produces black tea, the dominant type manufactured across Sri Lanka's low-grown estates. Teas from this elevation band typically brew to a dark, coppery liquor with pronounced body and astringency. The cup profile of low-grown Ceylon black tea tends toward bold, malty, and brisk notes, often with less floral complexity than high-grown leaf but with good strength and colour that make it a popular component in breakfast blends and other robust tea products. The specific character of Poronuwa's output will depend on processing choices, seasonal variation, and leaf grade, none of which are documented in available records.

Supply Chain & Market Position

Poronuwa is recorded as a supplier to Finlays, one of the world's largest vertically integrated tea businesses with operations spanning estate cultivation, processing, blending, and branded sales. Finlays sources from estates across the major tea-producing origins and supplies own-label and branded products to retailers and foodservice clients globally. The relationship indicates that Poronuwa's output meets the volume, quality, and consistency standards required by a multinational buyer active in commodity and value-added segments of the market.

• Recorded supplier to  Finlays

Location & Neighbouring Estates

Kahawatte Plantations, Poronuwa lies at 6.5785, 80.5406 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:

• Kahawatte Plantations, Houpe — 1.9 km away
• Nawalakanda — 3.1 km away
• Kahawatte Plantations, Nilagama — 4.7 km away
• KDU, New Kandagastenne — 5.1 km away
• Kongahawatte — 5.1 km away

Estates at a Similar Altitude to Kahawatte Plantations, Poronuwa

Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match Kahawatte Plantations, Poronuwa (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, Poronuwa recorded 2,770 mm in 2025, 6% 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, Poronuwa Compared with Sabaragamuwa Province

In Sabaragamuwa Province, Kahawatte Plantations, Poronuwa is drier than 81% of the others by 2025 rainfall; lower than 57% of the others by elevation; warmer than 58% of the others by daytime temperature. The table sets Kahawatte Plantations, Poronuwa 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, Poronuwa	Region median	Region range
Elevation	155 m	167 m	26 to 1,355 m
Annual rainfall (2025)	2,770 mm	3,412 mm	2,018 to 4,839 mm
Mean daily high	29.6 °C	29.5 °C	21.5 to 30.9 °C
Mean overnight low	22.5 °C	21.9 °C	15.7 to 23.0 °C

Observed Climate at Kahawatte Plantations, Poronuwa (2025)

ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for Kahawatte Plantations, Poronuwa’s coordinates recorded 2,770 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was November (482 mm) and the driest was February (17 mm). Daytime highs averaged 29.6 °C and overnight lows 22.5 °C over the year; April was the warmest month and January the coolest.

Metric	2025 value
Annual precipitation	2,770 mm
Wettest month	November (482 mm)
Driest month	February (17 mm)
Mean daily high	29.6 °C
Mean overnight low	22.5 °C

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Kahawatte Plantations, Poronuwa located?

Kahawatte Plantations, Poronuwa is in Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka, at coordinates 6.5785, 80.5406, at an elevation of about 155 metres.

Who operates Kahawatte Plantations, Poronuwa?

Kahawatte Plantations, Poronuwa is operated by Kahawatte Plantations, Poronuwa, according to public supply-chain records.

What type of tea does Kahawatte Plantations, Poronuwa produce?

Kahawatte Plantations, Poronuwa is recorded as producing black tea.

Which buyers does Kahawatte Plantations, Poronuwa supply?

Public supplier disclosures record Kahawatte Plantations, Poronuwa as supplying Finlays.

How much rain does Kahawatte Plantations, Poronuwa receive?

ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 2,770 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in November (482 mm).

How does Kahawatte Plantations, Poronuwa compare with estates at a similar elevation?

Kahawatte Plantations, Poronuwa recorded 2,770 mm in 2025, 6% 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].