Etabegahawila

Etabegahawila is a tea estate located in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka, at an elevation of just 28 metres above sea level. The estate is known to supply Finlays, a major player in the international tea trade. The operator of the estate is not recorded in available industry data.

Terroir & Climate

At 28 metres elevation, Etabegahawila sits firmly within Sri Lanka's low-grown tea belt, where warm, humid conditions and consistent temperatures year-round typically accelerate the growing cycle. Estates at this altitude generally experience rapid flush intervals, and the combination of heat and moisture tends to favour vigorous vegetative growth. The Southern Province's coastal proximity often means exposure to monsoonal rainfall patterns, which can influence both yield and leaf character.

Low-grown Ceylon teas are typically characterised by bolder leaf and a faster oxidation process than their high-grown counterparts. The warmer ambient temperatures at near-sea-level elevations tend to produce teas with strong colour and body, though the flavour profile is generally less complex than that of teas grown at higher altitudes. Estates in this climatic zone often benefit from fertile soils replenished by seasonal rains, supporting consistent production throughout much of the year.

Tea Produced

Etabegahawila produces black tea. Low-grown black teas from Sri Lanka's Southern Province typically yield a robust, full-bodied cup with strong colour and a straightforward flavour profile. Teas from this elevation and region tend to lack the delicate aromatics of high-grown Ceylon but are valued for their strength and consistency, characteristics that make them well-suited to blending. The cup character is generally bold and brisk, with good body and a clean finish.

Supply Chain & Market Position

Etabegahawila is recorded as a supplier to Finlays, a vertically integrated tea and horticulture business with a substantial presence in sourcing, blending, and distribution across global markets. Finlays supplies major retail and foodservice customers worldwide, and its procurement network spans key growing regions in Africa and Asia. The estate's position as a Finlays supplier suggests it is integrated into a large-scale, quality-focused supply chain serving international buyers, particularly in markets where consistent, blendable low-grown Ceylon is in demand.

• Recorded supplier to  Finlays

Location & Neighbouring Estates

Etabegahawila lies at 6.0491, 80.4242 in Southern Province, Sri Lanka. Its 28 m elevation is the joint 88th highest of 134 estates we map in Southern Province. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:

• Paragodakanda — 3.9 km away
• Seranya — 3.9 km away
• Uduella — 4.9 km away
• Muswenna — 6.1 km away
• Naindawa — 6.2 km away

Estates at a Similar Altitude to Etabegahawila

Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match Etabegahawila (28 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. Etabegahawila recorded 2,837 mm in 2025, 12% more than the 2,525 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
Aeon Commodities Pvt Ltd	Nilhat House 2nd Floor, India	28 m	1,939 mm	30.3 °C
Sasaki Green Tea Company	350 Kamiuchida Kakegawa City, Japan	28 m	1,920 mm	21.0 °C
Sihara	Southern Province, Sri Lanka	28 m	3,443 mm	29.8 °C
Gangani	Western Province, Sri Lanka	28 m	3,120 mm	29.7 °C
Satgaon tea Factory	Moulvibazar, Bangladesh	27 m	2,201 mm	30.2 °C

Etabegahawila Compared with Southern Province

In Southern Province, Etabegahawila is drier than 63% of the others by 2025 rainfall; lower than 66% of the others by elevation; warmer than 85% of the others by daytime temperature. The table sets Etabegahawila 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	Etabegahawila	Region median	Region range
Elevation	28 m	49 m	6 to 806 m
Annual rainfall (2025)	2,837 mm	3,022 mm	2,210 to 3,589 mm
Mean daily high	30.2 °C	29.8 °C	25.9 to 30.5 °C
Mean overnight low	22.6 °C	22.6 °C	18.2 to 24.1 °C

Observed Climate at Etabegahawila (2025)

ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for Etabegahawila’s coordinates recorded 2,837 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was November (485 mm) and the driest was February (72 mm). Daytime highs averaged 30.2 °C and overnight lows 22.6 °C over the year; May was the warmest month and January the coolest.

Metric	2025 value
Annual precipitation	2,837 mm
Wettest month	November (485 mm)
Driest month	February (72 mm)
Mean daily high	30.2 °C
Mean overnight low	22.6 °C

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Etabegahawila located?

Etabegahawila is in Southern Province, Sri Lanka, at coordinates 6.0491, 80.4242, at an elevation of about 28 metres.

What type of tea does Etabegahawila produce?

Etabegahawila is recorded as producing black tea.

Which buyers does Etabegahawila supply?

Public supplier disclosures record Etabegahawila as supplying Finlays.

How much rain does Etabegahawila receive?

ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 2,837 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in November (485 mm).

How does Etabegahawila compare with estates at a similar elevation?

Etabegahawila recorded 2,837 mm in 2025, 12% more rain than the 2,525 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].