Panilkanda

Panilkanda is a tea estate located in Sri Lanka's Southern Province, at an elevation of approximately 390 metres above sea level. The estate produces black tea and is recorded as supplying Finlays, a prominent name in the global tea trade. The operating company is not publicly documented.

Terroir & Climate

At 390 metres, Panilkanda occupies the low-grown elevation band that characterises much of Sri Lanka's Southern Province. Estates at this altitude and latitude typically experience warmer, more humid conditions than their high-grown counterparts in the central highlands, with year-round growing cycles that tend to favour vigorous leaf development. The proximity to the southern coast generally means consistent rainfall patterns, though low-grown regions often see more pronounced monsoonal influence.

Low elevations in Sri Lanka's southern districts typically yield teas with a different character to the celebrated high-growns of Nuwara Eliya or Uva. The warmer temperatures and faster flush cycles at this altitude tend to produce robust leaf that processes into bold, full-bodied liquor. Estates in this zone often contribute to the dependable, everyday volume that forms the backbone of Sri Lankan black tea exports, particularly for blending markets.

Tea Produced

Panilkanda produces black tea, the dominant style across Sri Lanka's low-grown districts. Teas from estates at this elevation in the Southern Province typically yield a strong, malty cup with good colour and body, though generally less aromatic complexity than high-grown Ceylon. The character tends toward robustness rather than the bright, brisk notes associated with higher altitudes, making such teas well-suited to blending applications and markets that prioritise strength and consistency over nuance.

Supply Chain & Market Position

Panilkanda is recorded as a supplier to Finlays, one of the world's largest tea and coffee producers with a significant footprint across East Africa and South Asia. Finlays operates as both an estate owner and a major buyer, sourcing widely for its own blending operations and for onward supply to retail brands and foodservice clients. The connection to Finlays suggests that Panilkanda's production enters a professional, volume-oriented supply chain serving international markets, though the precise nature of the commercial relationship—whether direct procurement, auction purchase, or another arrangement—is not documented.

• Recorded supplier to  Finlays

Location & Neighbouring Estates

Panilkanda lies at 6.3425, 80.5597 in Southern Province, Sri Lanka. Its 390 m elevation is the 5th highest of 134 estates we map in Southern Province. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:

• Lumbini Tea Factory — under 1 km away · District -Matara
• New Deniyaya Tea Estate — under 1 km away · A17
• Andaradeniya Estate, Willie Group — under 1 km away
• Talawakelle Plantations, Deniyaya — under 1 km away
• Kiruwanaganga Tea Estate — under 1 km away · Kirilipane

Estates at a Similar Altitude to Panilkanda

Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match Panilkanda (390 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. Panilkanda recorded 2,650 mm in 2025, 15% more than the 2,302 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
Guzhang Organic Tea Co., Ltd.	Guzhang County, China	391 m	1,538 mm	22.9 °C
Noori	Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka	391 m	4,260 mm	28.1 °C
Tealera Libertad Srl	Misiones, Argentina	388 m	1,840 mm	25.9 °C
Thai Tea Suwirun Co., Ltd.	Chiangrai, Thailand	404 m	2,054 mm	29.3 °C
CASA FUENTES SACIFI	Av. Libertad Oberá, Argentina	372 m	1,816 mm	26.0 °C

Panilkanda Compared with Southern Province

In Southern Province, Panilkanda is drier than 67% of the others by 2025 rainfall; higher than 97% of the others by elevation; cooler than 98% of the others by daytime temperature. The table sets Panilkanda 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	Panilkanda	Region median	Region range
Elevation	390 m	46 m	6 to 806 m
Annual rainfall (2025)	2,650 mm	3,022 mm	2,210 to 3,589 mm
Mean daily high	27.8 °C	29.8 °C	25.9 to 30.5 °C
Mean overnight low	21.6 °C	22.6 °C	18.2 to 24.1 °C

Observed Climate at Panilkanda (2025)

ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for Panilkanda’s coordinates recorded 2,650 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was November (510 mm) and the driest was February (52 mm). Daytime highs averaged 27.8 °C and overnight lows 21.6 °C over the year; April was the warmest month and January the coolest.

Metric	2025 value
Annual precipitation	2,650 mm
Wettest month	November (510 mm)
Driest month	February (52 mm)
Mean daily high	27.8 °C
Mean overnight low	21.6 °C

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Panilkanda located?

Panilkanda is in Southern Province, Sri Lanka, at coordinates 6.3425, 80.5597, at an elevation of about 390 metres.

What type of tea does Panilkanda produce?

Panilkanda is recorded as producing black tea.

Which buyers does Panilkanda supply?

Public supplier disclosures record Panilkanda as supplying Finlays.

How much rain does Panilkanda receive?

ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 2,650 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in November (510 mm).

How does Panilkanda compare with estates at a similar elevation?

Panilkanda recorded 2,650 mm in 2025, 15% more rain than the 2,302 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].