In short: Mahendra is a low-elevation tea estate in Sri Lanka's Southern Province, operating at 147 metres above sea level and recorded as supplying Finlays.
Mahendra is a tea estate located in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka, operating at an elevation of 147 metres above sea level. The estate produces black tea and is recorded as supplying Finlays, a major global tea merchant. The operating company is not publicly documented in available trade records.
Terroir & Climate
At 147 metres elevation, Mahendra occupies the low-grown tea belt of Sri Lanka, where estates typically experience warm, humid conditions year-round. This latitude—just above six degrees north—and proximity to sea level generally favour rapid vegetative growth and a longer plucking season compared with high-elevation gardens. Low-grown estates in the Southern Province tend to benefit from the southwest monsoon between May and September, which can promote vigorous flush cycles, though the warmer temperatures at this altitude often produce leaf with different chemical characteristics than the slower-maturing high-grown teas of the central highlands.
The terroir of low-elevation Sri Lankan estates is typically shaped by faster photosynthesis and enzyme activity in the leaf, which can influence polyphenol profiles and the character of the processed black tea. Estates at similar altitudes in the Southern Province often contend with higher ambient temperatures and humidity, factors that generally require careful post-harvest handling to preserve quality during withering and fermentation.
Tea Produced
Mahendra produces black tea, the dominant style for low-grown Sri Lankan estates. Teas from gardens at this elevation in the Southern Province typically yield a bolder, more robust cup than the delicate high-growns, often with fuller body, deeper colour, and a malty or slightly earthy character. Low-grown Ceylon blacks are generally valued for strength and consistency in blending, though quality can vary depending on plucking standards and manufacturing precision. Buyers of tea from estates at this altitude often seek reliable, brisk liquor suited to breakfast blends and everyday consumption.
Supply Chain & Market Position
Mahendra is recorded as supplying Finlays, one of the world's largest tea and coffee merchants with an extensive global footprint in procurement, blending, and retail supply. Finlays sources from estates across all major origins and typically integrates teas into branded and private-label products distributed in Europe, North America, and beyond. The presence of Finlays as a buyer suggests that Mahendra's output meets the volume, consistency, and quality benchmarks required for international blending and branded tea programmes, positioning the estate within mainstream commercial supply chains rather than niche or estate-specific retail channels.
- Recorded supplier to Finlays
Location & Neighbouring Estates
Mahendra lies at 6.2689, 80.4411 in Southern Province, Sri Lanka. Its 147 m elevation is the 32nd highest of 134 estates we map in Southern Province. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:
- Derangala — 1.6 km away
- Liyonta — 1.9 km away
- Ransavi — 3.2 km away
- Andaradeniya Estate, Andaradeniya — 3.9 km away
- Gangasiri — 3.9 km away
Estates at a Similar Altitude to Mahendra
Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match Mahendra (147 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. Mahendra recorded 3,051 mm in 2025, 27% more than the 2,411 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kamarangapitiya | Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka | 147 m | 2,770 mm | 29.7 °C |
| Anhui Huangshan United Keemun Tea Co., Ltd. - Office and Factory | Anhui Huangshan Eoconomic Development Zone, China | 149 m | 1,408 mm | 24.6 °C |
| Powai Tea Estate | Agbandha Bangali, India | 145 m | 2,919 mm | 28.2 °C |
| Corramore Tea Estate | Assam, India | 145 m | 1,742 mm | 28.8 °C |
| Evergreen Group, Karawita | Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka | 144 m | 3,214 mm | 29.6 °C |
Mahendra Compared with Southern Province
In Southern Province, Mahendra is wetter than 53% of the others by 2025 rainfall; higher than 77% of the others by elevation; cooler than 79% of the others by daytime temperature. The table sets Mahendra 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 | Mahendra | Region median | Region range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elevation | 147 m | 46 m | 6 to 806 m |
| Annual rainfall (2025) | 3,051 mm | 3,022 mm | 2,210 to 3,589 mm |
| Mean daily high | 29.3 °C | 29.8 °C | 25.9 to 30.5 °C |
| Mean overnight low | 22.1 °C | 22.6 °C | 18.2 to 24.1 °C |
Observed Climate at Mahendra (2025)
ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for Mahendra’s coordinates recorded 3,051 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was November (476 mm) and the driest was February (61 mm). Daytime highs averaged 29.3 °C and overnight lows 22.1 °C over the year; April was the warmest month and January the coolest.
| Metric | 2025 value |
|---|---|
| Annual precipitation | 3,051 mm |
| Wettest month | November (476 mm) |
| Driest month | February (61 mm) |
| Mean daily high | 29.3 °C |
| Mean overnight low | 22.1 °C |
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Mahendra located?
Mahendra is in Southern Province, Sri Lanka, at coordinates 6.2689, 80.4411, at an elevation of about 147 metres.
What type of tea does Mahendra produce?
Mahendra is recorded as producing black tea.
Which buyers does Mahendra supply?
Public supplier disclosures record Mahendra as supplying Finlays.
How much rain does Mahendra receive?
ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 3,051 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in November (476 mm).
How does Mahendra compare with estates at a similar elevation?
Mahendra recorded 3,051 mm in 2025, 27% more rain than the 2,411 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].