Kolonna

Kolonna is a tea estate situated in Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka, at an elevation of 89 metres above sea level. The estate produces black tea and is recorded as a supplier to Finlays, one of the established names in the international tea trade. The operator of the estate has not been publicly documented in trade records.

Terroir & Climate

At 89 metres, Kolonna sits firmly within Sri Lanka's low-grown tea zone, where estates typically experience warmer, more humid conditions than their counterparts in the central highlands. This lowland environment generally supports faster growth cycles, with flush intervals that tend to be shorter and more frequent throughout the year. Estates at this elevation often benefit from consistent rainfall and tropical warmth, conditions that typically favour vigorous vegetative growth.

The Sabaragamuwa Province, positioned to the south-east of the central massif, generally experiences a climate influenced by both monsoon systems that sweep across Sri Lanka. Low-grown estates in this latitude range typically contend with higher ambient temperatures and greater moisture levels than mid- or high-grown properties, factors that tend to shape both the pace of leaf development and the biochemical profile of the harvested material.

Tea Produced

Kolonna produces black tea, the dominant category across Sri Lanka's low-grown zones. Teas from estates at this elevation typically yield a darker liquor, fuller body, and a more robust, malty character than the brighter, more aromatic profiles associated with high-grown Ceylon. Low-grown black teas generally offer strength and colour, qualities that tend to make them well-suited to blending for breakfast-style products and for markets where body and depth are prized over floral delicacy.

Supply Chain & Market Position

Kolonna is recorded as supplying Finlays, a vertically integrated tea business with sourcing, blending, and distribution operations spanning multiple origins. This connection places the estate within a supply chain that typically serves both retail brands and food-service customers across international markets. Estates supplying Finlays are generally expected to meet consistent volume and quality benchmarks, reflecting the company's role as an intermediary between origin and end buyers in Europe, North America, and beyond.

• Recorded supplier to  Finlays

Location & Neighbouring Estates

Kolonna lies at 6.9349, 80.3380 in Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka. Its 89 m elevation is the 58th highest of 75 estates we map in Sabaragamuwa Province. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:

• Bogawantalawa Plantations, Illuktenne — 1.6 km away
• Pussellawa Plantations, Pambegama — 4.0 km away
• Noori — 7.8 km away
• Kithulgala — 8.4 km away
• Misa, Garden Leaf — 9.2 km away

Estates at a Similar Altitude to Kolonna

Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match Kolonna (89 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. Kolonna recorded 4,426 mm in 2025, 41% more than the 3,139 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
Nya Gogra Tea Estate	No.1 Naya Ghagra, India	89 m	2,618 mm	28.4 °C
Addabarie Tea Estate	No.4 Sessa T.E, India	89 m	3,338 mm	28.8 °C
Nilwala	Southern Province, Sri Lanka	90 m	2,875 mm	30.2 °C
Hedigalla	Western Province, Sri Lanka	90 m	3,756 mm	29.4 °C
Triple Zed Tea Estate Private Limited	Panchagarh, Bangladesh	87 m	3,108 mm	29.2 °C

Kolonna Compared with Sabaragamuwa Province

In Sabaragamuwa Province, Kolonna is wetter than 82% of the others by 2025 rainfall; lower than 77% of the others by elevation; warmer than 93% of the others by daytime temperature. The table sets Kolonna 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	Kolonna	Region median	Region range
Elevation	89 m	167 m	26 to 1,355 m
Annual rainfall (2025)	4,426 mm	3,390 mm	2,018 to 4,839 mm
Mean daily high	30.3 °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 Kolonna (2025)

ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for Kolonna’s coordinates recorded 4,426 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was November (665 mm) and the driest was February (52 mm). Daytime highs averaged 30.3 °C and overnight lows 21.7 °C over the year; April was the warmest month and January the coolest.

Metric	2025 value
Annual precipitation	4,426 mm
Wettest month	November (665 mm)
Driest month	February (52 mm)
Mean daily high	30.3 °C
Mean overnight low	21.7 °C

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Kolonna located?

Kolonna is in Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka, at coordinates 6.9349, 80.3380, at an elevation of about 89 metres.

What type of tea does Kolonna produce?

Kolonna is recorded as producing black tea.

Which buyers does Kolonna supply?

Public supplier disclosures record Kolonna as supplying Finlays.

How much rain does Kolonna receive?

ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 4,426 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in November (665 mm).

How does Kolonna compare with estates at a similar elevation?

Kolonna recorded 4,426 mm in 2025, 41% more rain than the 3,139 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].