Galaboda

Galaboda is a tea estate located in Sri Lanka's Southern Province, positioned at an elevation of just 29 metres above sea level. The estate produces black tea and is recorded as supplying Finlays, a major player in the global tea trade. The operator of the estate is not presently on record.

Terroir & Climate

At 29 metres above sea level, Galaboda occupies one of the lowest elevations in Sri Lankan tea cultivation, placing it firmly in the low-grown category. Estates at this altitude in Sri Lanka's Southern Province typically experience warm, humid conditions year-round, with less diurnal temperature variation than their high-grown counterparts. The proximity to sea level generally means faster vegetative growth and more frequent plucking cycles, though the coastal latitude of around 6°N tends to produce a climate with two monsoon seasons influencing the growing year.

Low-elevation estates in this region often contend with higher temperatures and greater rainfall intensity during monsoon periods, factors that typically encourage vigorous leaf growth. The combination of warmth, humidity, and the estate's near-sea-level position generally results in teas with a different character to those from the island's famous central highlands, with the terroir tending to favour strength and body over the more delicate aromatics associated with elevation.

Tea Produced

Galaboda produces black tea, the dominant style for low-grown Sri Lankan estates. Teas from this altitude and region typically yield a robust, full-bodied cup with pronounced strength and colour. Low-grown Ceylon blacks generally offer bold, malty characteristics and a brisk astringency, often making them well-suited to blending or to markets that favour a strong morning brew. While high-grown teas from Sri Lanka are prized for brightness and floral complexity, the low-grown profile tends toward depth, body, and a straightforward, assertive character in the cup.

Supply Chain & Market Position

Galaboda is recorded as supplying Finlays, a vertically integrated tea business with operations spanning cultivation, processing, blending, and packing across multiple origins. Finlays is known to source from estates throughout Sri Lanka and other producing countries, serving both retail brands and foodservice channels in Europe, North America, and beyond. The estate's presence in the Finlays supply chain suggests its output meets the specifications required for large-scale blending or private-label programs, a common market position for low-grown Ceylon teas valued for consistency, strength, and competitive pricing in commodity and branded segments alike.

• Recorded supplier to  Finlays

Location & Neighbouring Estates

Galaboda lies at 6.0888, 80.4699 in Southern Province, Sri Lanka. Its 29 m elevation is the joint 86th highest of 134 estates we map in Southern Province. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:

• Woodland — under 1 km away
• Nandana — under 1 km away
• Tippola — 1.4 km away
• New Kirimetideniya — 2.5 km away
• S.L.S — 3.3 km away

Estates at a Similar Altitude to Galaboda

Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match Galaboda (29 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. Galaboda recorded 2,837 mm in 2025, 10% more than the 2,581 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
JALINGA	Rosekandi Grant Pt II, India	29 m	3,003 mm	30.3 °C
Kobayashi Aracha Factory	Kikugawa, Japan	29 m	1,920 mm	21.0 °C
Hiniduma Hills	Southern Province, Sri Lanka	29 m	3,509 mm	30.1 °C
Rajnagar Tea Estate Factory	Moulvibazar, Bangladesh	30 m	2,536 mm	30.1 °C
Aeon Commodities Pvt Ltd	Nilhat House 2nd Floor, India	28 m	1,939 mm	30.3 °C

Galaboda Compared with Southern Province

In Southern Province, Galaboda is drier than 63% of the others by 2025 rainfall; lower than 65% of the others by elevation; warmer than 85% of the others by daytime temperature. The table sets Galaboda 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	Galaboda	Region median	Region range
Elevation	29 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 Galaboda (2025)

ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for Galaboda’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 Galaboda located?

Galaboda is in Southern Province, Sri Lanka, at coordinates 6.0888, 80.4699, at an elevation of about 29 metres.

What type of tea does Galaboda produce?

Galaboda is recorded as producing black tea.

Which buyers does Galaboda supply?

Public supplier disclosures record Galaboda as supplying Finlays.

How much rain does Galaboda receive?

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

How does Galaboda compare with estates at a similar elevation?

Galaboda recorded 2,837 mm in 2025, 10% more rain than the 2,581 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].