Wewelkandura

Wewelkandura is a tea estate located in Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka, at an elevation of 332 metres above sea level. The estate produces black tea and is recorded as supplying Finlays, the multinational tea and horticulture business. The identity of the current operating company is not publicly documented in available trade records.

Terroir & Climate

At 332 metres, Wewelkandura falls into the low-grown category of Sri Lankan tea cultivation, a designation that typically applies to estates below 600 metres. This coastal and lower-altitude belt generally experiences warmer temperatures year-round and higher humidity than the island's central highlands, conditions that tend to promote rapid vegetative growth and year-round plucking with shorter withering periods.

Low-grown estates in Sri Lanka's south-western and Sabaragamuwa zones typically receive ample monsoon rainfall, particularly during the south-west monsoon from May to September. These warm, wet conditions generally favour vigorous flush production, though the resultant leaf tends to be larger and lighter in body than that from higher elevations. The lower diurnal temperature variation at this altitude often produces teas with less aromatic complexity but greater colour and strength in the cup.

Tea Produced

Black teas from low-elevation estates such as Wewelkandura typically yield a strong, brisk liquor with good colour and body, characteristics that make them well-suited to blending. Sabaragamuwa low-growns generally produce a darker infusion than their high-grown counterparts, often with malty or earthy notes and relatively subdued floral aromatics. These teas are commonly used in everyday blends and for applications where strength and colour are prioritised over nuance, including packet tea and catering grades.

Supply Chain & Market Position

Wewelkandura is recorded as supplying Finlays, a vertically integrated producer and distributor with plantation holdings, blending facilities, and brand partnerships worldwide. Finlays sources from numerous origins and operates its own estates in East Africa and Asia, positioning itself across multiple tiers of the supply chain. A supply relationship with Finlays suggests that Wewelkandura's output enters a global blending and distribution network serving retail brands, foodservice clients, and private-label buyers, though the specific end-users of this estate's production are not disclosed in available trade data.

• Recorded supplier to  Finlays

Location & Neighbouring Estates

Wewelkandura lies at 6.5285, 80.4492 in Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka. Its 332 m elevation is the 22nd highest of 75 estates we map in Sabaragamuwa Province. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:

• Haughton — under 1 km away
• Aennen — 1.9 km away
• New Vithanakanda — 1.9 km away
• Andaradeniya Estate, Nivithigala — 6.5 km away
• Ceciliyan — 7.2 km away

Estates at a Similar Altitude to Wewelkandura

Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match Wewelkandura (332 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. Wewelkandura recorded 3,368 mm in 2025, 44% more than the 2,346 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
Kegalle Plantations, Yataderiya	Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka	333 m	3,540 mm	29.2 °C
Rasa	Southern Province, Sri Lanka	333 m	2,210 mm	28.8 °C
Hinz	AV.SARMIENTO 986 PISO 1 LOC. 9 ()OBERA MISIONE, Argentina	339 m	1,816 mm	26.0 °C
KT	Misiones, Argentina	325 m	1,896 mm	26.3 °C
Rohini Tea Estate	Subash Ghisingh Marg, India	319 m	2,269 mm	27.0 °C

Wewelkandura Compared with Sabaragamuwa Province

In Sabaragamuwa Province, Wewelkandura is drier than 55% of the others by 2025 rainfall; higher than 72% of the others by elevation; cooler than 73% of the others by daytime temperature. The table sets Wewelkandura 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	Wewelkandura	Region median	Region range
Elevation	332 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	28.5 °C	29.5 °C	21.5 to 30.9 °C
Mean overnight low	21.5 °C	21.9 °C	15.7 to 23.0 °C

Observed Climate at Wewelkandura (2025)

ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for Wewelkandura’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 28.5 °C and overnight lows 21.5 °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	28.5 °C
Mean overnight low	21.5 °C

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Wewelkandura located?

Wewelkandura is in Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka, at coordinates 6.5285, 80.4492, at an elevation of about 332 metres.

What type of tea does Wewelkandura produce?

Wewelkandura is recorded as producing black tea.

Which buyers does Wewelkandura supply?

Public supplier disclosures record Wewelkandura as supplying Finlays.

How much rain does Wewelkandura receive?

ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 3,368 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in November (562 mm).

How does Wewelkandura compare with estates at a similar elevation?

Wewelkandura recorded 3,368 mm in 2025, 44% more rain than the 2,346 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].