Mussendapota

Mussendapota is a tea estate located in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka, at an elevation of just 10 metres above sea level. The estate produces black tea and is recorded as supplying Finlays, a major name in the global tea trade. The operator of the estate is not currently documented in publicly available records.

Terroir & Climate

At 10 metres elevation, Mussendapota sits in Sri Lanka's low-grown tea belt, where estates typically experience warm, humid conditions year-round. This latitude—just north of the equator—and coastal proximity generally promote vigorous, fast-growing bushes with minimal temperature variation between seasons. Low-grown estates in this climatic zone tend to produce high volumes of leaf, and the lack of cool nights that characterise higher elevations usually results in brisker, more astringent character rather than the nuanced complexity associated with high-grown Ceylon teas.

Rainfall patterns in the Southern Province are typically influenced by both monsoons, with the southwestern monsoon often delivering the heaviest precipitation. Estates at this altitude generally maintain steady flush cycles, and the heat accelerates oxidation during manufacture, which can contribute to the robust, full-bodied profiles that low-grown Sri Lankan teas are known for in commodity and blending markets.

Tea Produced

Mussendapota produces black tea. Low-grown Sri Lankan estates at similar elevations typically yield teas with strong, brisk liquors, good colour, and straightforward malty or slightly astringent character. These teas are generally valued for blending strength and consistency rather than aromatic complexity, and they tend to perform well in breakfast blends and bulk applications where body and depth of colour are priorities.

Supply Chain & Market Position

Mussendapota is recorded as supplying Finlays, one of the world's largest tea and coffee companies, with operations spanning plantation management, processing, blending, and branded product development. Finlays sources from estates across multiple origins and typically integrates these volumes into supply chains serving major retail, foodservice, and quick-service restaurant clients. The presence of Finlays as a buyer suggests that Mussendapota's output is likely directed toward high-volume, quality-assured channels where consistency and traceability are key commercial requirements.

• Recorded supplier to  Finlays

Location & Neighbouring Estates

Mussendapota lies at 6.1688, 80.1794 in Southern Province, Sri Lanka. Its 10 m elevation is the joint 126th highest of 134 estates we map in Southern Province. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:

• BADDEGAMA IDIGASKATIYA — under 1 km away · Baddegama
• Galle Gangaboda — under 1 km away
• Thotupalawatta — under 1 km away
• Thisara — 3.2 km away
• Weihena — 3.9 km away

Estates at a Similar Altitude to Mussendapota

Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match Mussendapota (10 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. Mussendapota recorded 3,346 mm in 2025, 63% more than the 2,054 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
Neptune Tea Estates Limited	Chattogram, Bangladesh	10 m	2,233 mm	29.8 °C
Zhejiang Shanming Tea Co., Ltd.	Zhuji City, China	10 m	1,401 mm	23.0 °C
SSK Exports Limited	1ST FLOOR, India	10 m	1,858 mm	31.4 °C
Parisons Estate And Industries Private Limited	West Bengal, India	10 m	1,951 mm	31.3 °C
Nuwaraeliya Tea Estate	Colombo, Sri Lanka	10 m	2,828 mm	29.9 °C

Mussendapota Compared with Southern Province

In Southern Province, Mussendapota is wetter than 76% of the others by 2025 rainfall; lower than 95% of the others by elevation; cooler than 74% of the others by daytime temperature. The table sets Mussendapota 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	Mussendapota	Region median	Region range
Elevation	10 m	49 m	6 to 806 m
Annual rainfall (2025)	3,346 mm	3,022 mm	2,210 to 3,589 mm
Mean daily high	29.5 °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 Mussendapota (2025)

ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for Mussendapota’s coordinates recorded 3,346 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was November (428 mm) and the driest was February (107 mm). Daytime highs averaged 29.5 °C and overnight lows 23.7 °C over the year; May was the warmest month and January the coolest.

Metric	2025 value
Annual precipitation	3,346 mm
Wettest month	November (428 mm)
Driest month	February (107 mm)
Mean daily high	29.5 °C
Mean overnight low	23.7 °C

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Mussendapota located?

Mussendapota is in Southern Province, Sri Lanka, at coordinates 6.1688, 80.1794, at an elevation of about 10 metres.

What type of tea does Mussendapota produce?

Mussendapota is recorded as producing black tea.

Which buyers does Mussendapota supply?

Public supplier disclosures record Mussendapota as supplying Finlays.

How much rain does Mussendapota receive?

ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 3,346 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in November (428 mm).

How does Mussendapota compare with estates at a similar elevation?

Mussendapota recorded 3,346 mm in 2025, 63% more rain than the 2,054 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].