In short: Ruwanthanne is a low-elevation tea estate in Sri Lanka's Southern Province, operating at 16 metres above sea level and known to supply Finlays.
Ruwanthanne is a tea estate located in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka, operating at an elevation of just 16 metres above sea level. The estate produces black tea and is recorded as supplying Finlays, one of the established names in the international tea trade. The operator of the estate is not publicly documented in available records.
Terroir & Climate
At 16 metres elevation, Ruwanthanne sits in Sri Lanka's low-grown tea zone, where the warm, humid conditions of the coastal lowlands typically produce a growing environment quite distinct from the island's celebrated highland estates. Southern Province's proximity to the equator and its low altitude generally result in year-round warmth and ample rainfall, which tend to encourage rapid leaf growth and continuous cropping cycles with little seasonal dormancy.
Estates at this elevation in Sri Lanka's southern belt often contend with higher ambient temperatures and greater humidity than their counterparts in the central highlands. These conditions typically favour vigorous vegetative growth and can yield leaf that develops quickly, characteristics that generally influence both processing methods and cup profile. The coastal influence in this latitude zone tends to moderate temperature extremes, while monsoon patterns usually shape the intensity and quality peaks of the annual crop.
Tea Produced
Ruwanthanne produces black tea, the style for which Sri Lanka's low-grown regions are widely recognised in commodity and blend markets. Teas from estates at this elevation in the Southern Province typically yield a robust, full-bodied liquor with straightforward character and good colour—qualities that tend to make them well-suited to blending and to markets where strength and consistency are valued over the more delicate complexity found in high-grown Ceylon teas. The cup profile from this growing zone generally exhibits malty or earthy notes, with less of the brightness and floral aromatics that higher-altitude estates often produce.
Supply Chain & Market Position
Ruwanthanne is recorded as supplying Finlays, a vertically integrated tea business with a global footprint in sourcing, blending, and distribution. This relationship suggests that the estate's output is likely channelled into commercial supply chains serving branded tea packers and foodservice customers in multiple markets. Low-grown Sri Lankan black teas of the kind Ruwanthanne produces are typically valued for their consistent strength and blending utility, and the connection to a buyer of Finlays' scale indicates the estate's integration into established, volume-oriented trade flows rather than speciality or single-origin retail channels.
- Recorded supplier to Finlays
Location & Neighbouring Estates
Ruwanthanne lies at 6.1261, 80.2837 in Southern Province, Sri Lanka. Its 16 m elevation is the joint 113th highest of 134 estates we map in Southern Province. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:
- Davidson — under 1 km away
- Rathna — under 1 km away
- Nehinigala — 1.8 km away
- Imbulgahagoda — 3.3 km away
- Iddamaldeniya — 3.7 km away
Estates at a Similar Altitude to Ruwanthanne
Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match Ruwanthanne (16 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. Ruwanthanne recorded 3,412 mm in 2025, 48% more than the 2,300 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ghazipore Tea Estate | Moulvibazar, Bangladesh | 16 m | 2,559 mm | 30.1 °C |
| MOULVI TEA ESTATE | Moulvibazar, Bangladesh | 16 m | 2,427 mm | 30.2 °C |
| Hadong Tea Factory | Ulju-gun, Korea Republic Of | 16 m | 1,102 mm | 19.5 °C |
| Zhejiang Chunan New Continent Tea Co. Ltd. | Xihu Dadao, China | 17 m | 1,470 mm | 24.3 °C |
| Avt Natural Products Limited | Aluva 683 105, India | 15 m | 3,944 mm | 31.2 °C |
Ruwanthanne Compared with Southern Province
In Southern Province, Ruwanthanne is wetter than 80% of the others by 2025 rainfall; lower than 85% of the others by elevation; cooler than 51% of the others by daytime temperature. The table sets Ruwanthanne 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 | Ruwanthanne | Region median | Region range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elevation | 16 m | 49 m | 6 to 806 m |
| Annual rainfall (2025) | 3,412 mm | 3,022 mm | 2,210 to 3,589 mm |
| Mean daily high | 29.8 °C | 29.8 °C | 25.9 to 30.5 °C |
| Mean overnight low | 22.5 °C | 22.6 °C | 18.2 to 24.1 °C |
Observed Climate at Ruwanthanne (2025)
ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for Ruwanthanne’s coordinates recorded 3,412 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was November (533 mm) and the driest was February (78 mm). Daytime highs averaged 29.8 °C and overnight lows 22.5 °C over the year; May was the warmest month and January the coolest.
| Metric | 2025 value |
|---|---|
| Annual precipitation | 3,412 mm |
| Wettest month | November (533 mm) |
| Driest month | February (78 mm) |
| Mean daily high | 29.8 °C |
| Mean overnight low | 22.5 °C |
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Ruwanthanne located?
Ruwanthanne is in Southern Province, Sri Lanka, at coordinates 6.1261, 80.2837, at an elevation of about 16 metres.
What type of tea does Ruwanthanne produce?
Ruwanthanne is recorded as producing black tea.
Which buyers does Ruwanthanne supply?
Public supplier disclosures record Ruwanthanne as supplying Finlays.
How much rain does Ruwanthanne receive?
ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 3,412 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in November (533 mm).
How does Ruwanthanne compare with estates at a similar elevation?
Ruwanthanne recorded 3,412 mm in 2025, 48% more rain than the 2,300 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].