Naindawa

Naindawa is a tea estate in Sri Lanka's Southern Province, located at 19 metres above sea level. The estate produces black tea and is recorded as supplying Finlays, a major global tea packer and distributor. The operator of the estate is not currently recorded in public supply-chain databases.

Terroir & Climate

At just 19 metres above sea level, Naindawa occupies the low-elevation band of Sri Lanka's tea landscape, a category often described as "low-grown" in Ceylon tea classification. Estates at this altitude typically experience warmer, more humid conditions year-round than their high-elevation counterparts, with less diurnal temperature variation. These conditions generally favour rapid vegetative growth and higher yields, though the leaf character tends to differ markedly from that of the cooler uplands.

The Southern Province's coastal proximity—Naindawa lies only a few kilometres inland from the Indian Ocean—means the estate is likely exposed to the maritime influences typical of low-country Ceylon gardens. Rainfall patterns in this zone tend to be governed by both monsoons, with the area generally receiving moisture during the south-west monsoon period. Such environmental factors typically produce robust, fast-growing leaf that forms the backbone of Ceylon's lower-elevation output.

Tea Produced

Low-grown black teas from Sri Lanka's Southern Province typically yield a cup that is full-bodied, brisk, and strong in colour, with good strength and a straightforward, malty character. Estates at this elevation often produce leaf destined for blending, prized for its depth and consistency rather than the delicate complexity associated with high-elevation Ceylon teas. The resulting liquor tends to be robust and well-suited to milk, with a coppery infusion and a clean, assertive finish. While specific tasting notes for Naindawa itself are not verified, the estate's altitude and region suggest it conforms to this broader low-grown profile.

Supply Chain & Market Position

Naindawa is recorded as supplying Finlays, a vertically integrated tea business with operations spanning plantation ownership, processing, blending, and packing. Finlays sources tea from estates worldwide to supply both its own brands and a roster of multinational food and beverage companies. The presence of Finlays as a buyer indicates that Naindawa's production is entering a supply chain oriented towards volume blending and retail distribution, typical of low-grown Ceylon black teas that provide body and colour to branded blends sold in major consumer markets.

• Recorded supplier to  Finlays

Location & Neighbouring Estates

Naindawa lies at 6.0759, 80.3749 in Southern Province, Sri Lanka. Its 19 m elevation is the joint 108th highest of 134 estates we map in Southern Province. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:

• Muswenna — 1.8 km away
• Karagoda — 3.1 km away
• Moraketiya — 3.5 km away
• Paragodakanda — 4.5 km away
• Seranya — 4.5 km away

Estates at a Similar Altitude to Naindawa

Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match Naindawa (19 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. Naindawa recorded 3,022 mm in 2025, 13% more than the 2,676 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
Amo tea Factory	Habiganj, Bangladesh	19 m	1,910 mm	30.3 °C
Hingaziya Tea Garden	Moulvibazar, Bangladesh	19 m	2,536 mm	30.1 °C
Alhewana Tea factory	Western Province, Sri Lanka	20 m	3,823 mm	29.5 °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

Naindawa Compared with Southern Province

In Southern Province, Naindawa is wetter than 50% of the others by 2025 rainfall; lower than 81% of the others by elevation; warmer than 62% of the others by daytime temperature. The table sets Naindawa 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	Naindawa	Region median	Region range
Elevation	19 m	49 m	6 to 806 m
Annual rainfall (2025)	3,022 mm	3,022 mm	2,210 to 3,589 mm
Mean daily high	29.9 °C	29.8 °C	25.9 to 30.5 °C
Mean overnight low	22.7 °C	22.6 °C	18.2 to 24.1 °C

Observed Climate at Naindawa (2025)

ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for Naindawa’s coordinates recorded 3,022 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was November (513 mm) and the driest was February (81 mm). Daytime highs averaged 29.9 °C and overnight lows 22.7 °C over the year; May was the warmest month and January the coolest.

Metric	2025 value
Annual precipitation	3,022 mm
Wettest month	November (513 mm)
Driest month	February (81 mm)
Mean daily high	29.9 °C
Mean overnight low	22.7 °C

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Naindawa located?

Naindawa is in Southern Province, Sri Lanka, at coordinates 6.0759, 80.3749, at an elevation of about 19 metres.

What type of tea does Naindawa produce?

Naindawa is recorded as producing black tea.

Which buyers does Naindawa supply?

Public supplier disclosures record Naindawa as supplying Finlays.

How much rain does Naindawa receive?

ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 3,022 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in November (513 mm).

How does Naindawa compare with estates at a similar elevation?

Naindawa recorded 3,022 mm in 2025, 13% more rain than the 2,676 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].