In short: Chanilta is a low-grown black tea estate in Sri Lanka's Southern Province, at 18 metres above sea level, known to supply Finlays.
Chanilta is a tea estate situated in Sri Lanka's Southern Province, at an elevation of just 18 metres above sea level. The estate produces black tea and is recorded as a supplier to Finlays. The operating company is not publicly documented.
Terroir & Climate
At 18 metres above sea level, Chanilta occupies one of the lowest elevation bands in Sri Lankan tea cultivation, placing it firmly in the low-grown category. Estates at this altitude in the Southern Province typically experience warmer, more humid conditions year-round, with less diurnal temperature variation than their high-grown counterparts in the central highlands. The proximity to sea level generally accelerates vegetative growth, often yielding a faster flush cycle and more vigorous leaf development.
Low-grown Sri Lankan estates in this latitude range tend to benefit from the island's bimodal monsoon pattern, though the intensity and timing of rainfall can vary by aspect and local topography. The warmer temperatures typical of this elevation generally favour rapid photosynthesis and robust leaf expansion, characteristics that tend to influence both yield potential and the biochemical composition of the plucked leaf.
Tea Produced
Chanilta produces black tea. Low-grown Sri Lankan black teas typically yield a bolder, more full-bodied cup than high-grown Ceylon teas, often with greater strength and colour. Estates at this elevation tend to produce leaf that processes into darker, more robust infusions, characteristics that generally suit blending applications and markets favouring strong, malty breakfast-style profiles. The warmer growing conditions typical of low elevation often result in teas with less pronounced brightness or floral complexity than high-grown lots, but with greater body and depth of colour.
Supply Chain & Market Position
Chanilta is recorded as a supplier to Finlays, a significant tea and beverage ingredients business with global reach. Finlays operates as both an estate owner and a major buyer of third-party leaf, sourcing tea for onward sale to international brand owners, packers, and food-service buyers. The connection to Finlays suggests that Chanilta's production enters a well-established supply chain with access to multinational buyers, though the specific end markets and brand destinations for the estate's output are not publicly documented.
- Recorded supplier to Finlays
Location & Neighbouring Estates
Chanilta lies at 6.1085, 80.2238 in Southern Province, Sri Lanka. Its 18 m elevation is the joint 110th highest of 134 estates we map in Southern Province. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:
- Graceland — 2.7 km away
- Ivy Valley — 4.2 km away
- Imbulgahagoda — 5.2 km away
- Hillgarden — 5.3 km away
- Weihena — 5.8 km away
Estates at a Similar Altitude to Chanilta
Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match Chanilta (18 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. Chanilta recorded 2,988 mm in 2025, within 5% of the 2,876 mm average across these estates, so altitude explains most of its rainfall.
| Estate | Where | Elevation | Rain 2025 | Mean high |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chandobag Tea estate Factory | Moulvibazar, Bangladesh | 18 m | 3,920 mm | 30.0 °C |
| Amo tea Factory | Habiganj, Bangladesh | 19 m | 1,910 mm | 30.3 °C |
| Zhejiang Chunan New Continent Tea Co. Ltd. | Xihu Dadao, China | 17 m | 1,470 mm | 24.3 °C |
| Renukanda Tea Estate | B158, Sri Lanka | 17 m | 3,642 mm | 30.0 °C |
| Thundola Tea Estate | B363, Sri Lanka | 17 m | 3,439 mm | 30.1 °C |
Chanilta Compared with Southern Province
In Southern Province, Chanilta is drier than 53% of the others by 2025 rainfall; lower than 83% of the others by elevation; cooler than 68% of the others by daytime temperature. The table sets Chanilta against the 133 other estates we map in Southern Province, so you can see whether it is typical for its region or an outlier.
| Measure | Chanilta | Region median | Region range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elevation | 18 m | 49 m | 6 to 806 m |
| Annual rainfall (2025) | 2,988 mm | 3,022 mm | 2,210 to 3,589 mm |
| Mean daily high | 29.6 °C | 29.8 °C | 25.9 to 30.5 °C |
| Mean overnight low | 23.7 °C | 22.6 °C | 18.2 to 24.1 °C |
Observed Climate at Chanilta (2025)
ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for Chanilta’s coordinates recorded 2,988 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was November (445 mm) and the driest was February (99 mm). Daytime highs averaged 29.6 °C and overnight lows 23.7 °C over the year; May was the warmest month and January the coolest.
| Metric | 2025 value |
|---|---|
| Annual precipitation | 2,988 mm |
| Wettest month | November (445 mm) |
| Driest month | February (99 mm) |
| Mean daily high | 29.6 °C |
| Mean overnight low | 23.7 °C |
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Chanilta located?
Chanilta is in Southern Province, Sri Lanka, at coordinates 6.1085, 80.2238, at an elevation of about 18 metres.
What type of tea does Chanilta produce?
Chanilta is recorded as producing black tea.
Which buyers does Chanilta supply?
Public supplier disclosures record Chanilta as supplying Finlays.
How much rain does Chanilta receive?
ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 2,988 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in November (445 mm).
How does Chanilta compare with estates at a similar elevation?
Estates at a similar elevation recorded about 2,876 mm of rain in 2025, close to the 2,988 mm at Chanilta.
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].