Nilrich

Nilrich is a tea estate located in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka, operating at an elevation of 225 metres above sea level. The estate produces black tea and is recorded as a supplier to Finlays, one of the large‐scale tea packers and distributors active in the Sri Lankan supply chain. The operator of the estate is not publicly documented in available trade records.

Terroir & Climate

At 225 metres, Nilrich falls firmly within Sri Lanka's low‐grown category, a designation that typically covers estates below 600 metres. Low‐grown Ceylon teas are generally associated with faster leaf growth and shorter withering times, owing to warmer temperatures and higher humidity at these elevations. Estates in the Southern Province at similar altitudes often contend with a wetter microclimate influenced by the southwest monsoon, which can extend cropping through much of the year.

The latitude—just over six degrees north of the equator—places Nilrich in a zone with minimal seasonal temperature variation, meaning that flush cycles are driven more by rainfall patterns than by temperature swings. Low‐grown teas from this region tend to develop bold, full‐bodied character rather than the delicate high‐notes of high‐elevation leaf, a profile shaped by rapid growth and the biochemical makeup of leaves matured in warmth.

Tea Produced

Nilrich produces black tea, the dominant type across Sri Lanka's low‐grown zones. Estates at this elevation in the Southern Province typically yield teas with robust body, good colour in the cup, and a straightforward, malty character. The liquor is generally strong and well‐suited to blending, often favoured by packers seeking consistent structure and depth. While low‐grown Ceylon seldom exhibits the bright, brisk astringency of high‐elevation Nuwara Eliya or Uva teas, it tends to offer reliable strength and a round, satisfying mouthfeel that holds up well with milk.

Supply Chain & Market Position

Nilrich is recorded as supplying Finlays, a vertically integrated business with tea‐packing, blending and distribution operations spanning several continents. Finlays sources from numerous origins and operates its own estates and bought‐leaf operations, placing Nilrich within a supply chain geared toward volume and consistency. Supplying a buyer of this scale suggests that the estate's output meets the quality and traceability standards required for international blending and retail brands, though the specifics of contract terms and volumes are not publicly disclosed.

• Recorded supplier to  Finlays

Location & Neighbouring Estates

Nilrich lies at 6.2626, 80.6082 in Southern Province, Sri Lanka. Its 225 m elevation is the 24th highest of 134 estates we map in Southern Province. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:

• Lakvinka — 1.0 km away
• Pasgoda — 1.2 km away
• Sunrise — 1.3 km away
• Dampahala — 2.6 km away
• Andaradeniya Estate, Galaxy — 4.2 km away

Estates at a Similar Altitude to Nilrich

Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match Nilrich (225 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. Nilrich recorded 2,342 mm in 2025, 7% more than the 2,198 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
Huzhou Jiasheng Tea Co., Ltd.	Zhejiang, China	221 m	1,708 mm	22.1 °C
Forest Hill Tea	Hospital Road Erathna, Sri Lanka	221 m	4,574 mm	29.0 °C
Kairbetta Estate	Nilgiris, India	231 m	745 mm	34.5 °C
Kahawatte Plantations, Houpe	Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka	218 m	2,770 mm	28.7 °C
Yixian Qingye Tea Farm Co. Ltd - final packing and primary processing	Huang Shan, China	241 m	1,194 mm	22.7 °C

Nilrich Compared with Southern Province

In Southern Province, Nilrich is drier than 93% of the others by 2025 rainfall; higher than 83% of the others by elevation; cooler than 79% of the others by daytime temperature. The table sets Nilrich 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	Nilrich	Region median	Region range
Elevation	225 m	46 m	6 to 806 m
Annual rainfall (2025)	2,342 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 Nilrich (2025)

ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for Nilrich’s coordinates recorded 2,342 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was November (439 mm) and the driest was February (47 mm). Daytime highs averaged 29.3 °C and overnight lows 22.1 °C over the year; May was the warmest month and January the coolest.

Metric	2025 value
Annual precipitation	2,342 mm
Wettest month	November (439 mm)
Driest month	February (47 mm)
Mean daily high	29.3 °C
Mean overnight low	22.1 °C

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Nilrich located?

Nilrich is in Southern Province, Sri Lanka, at coordinates 6.2626, 80.6082, at an elevation of about 225 metres.

What type of tea does Nilrich produce?

Nilrich is recorded as producing black tea.

Which buyers does Nilrich supply?

Public supplier disclosures record Nilrich as supplying Finlays.

How much rain does Nilrich receive?

ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 2,342 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in November (439 mm).

How does Nilrich compare with estates at a similar elevation?

Nilrich recorded 2,342 mm in 2025, 7% more rain than the 2,198 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].