In short: Samukirana is a black tea estate in Sri Lanka's Southern Province, operating at 138 metres above sea level and recorded as supplying Finlays.
Samukirana is a tea estate located in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka, operating at an elevation of 138 metres above sea level. The estate produces black tea and is recorded as supplying Finlays, one of the established buyers in the international tea trade. The operator of the estate is not currently identified in trade records.
Terroir & Climate
At 138 metres, Samukirana sits well within the low-grown tea belt of Sri Lanka, where elevations below approximately 600 metres typically produce teas with characteristics distinct from the island's more celebrated high-grown regions. Estates at this altitude generally experience warmer temperatures and more consistent growing conditions year-round, with less diurnal temperature variation than is found in the central highlands. The Southern Province's coastal proximity tends to bring higher humidity and different rainfall patterns compared to the island's interior.
Low-elevation gardens in Sri Lanka often yield faster-growing leaf with a different chemical profile to high-grown teas. The warmer climate at this altitude typically supports a vigorous flush cycle, and the leaf tends to develop in ways that favour strength and body in the cup. Estates in this elevation band are less subject to the seasonal quality peaks seen in cooler, higher regions, with production remaining relatively steady across the calendar.
Tea Produced
Samukirana produces black tea, the dominant style across Sri Lanka's low-grown regions. Teas from estates at this elevation in the Southern Province typically yield a full-bodied, robust cup with pronounced strength and colour. Low-grown Ceylon blacks generally lack the bright, brisk aromatics of high-grown teas but tend instead towards malty, earthy notes and a darker liquor. These characteristics often make low-elevation Sri Lankan teas well suited to blending applications where body, colour and consistent flavour are valued over nuanced complexity.
Supply Chain & Market Position
Samukirana is recorded as supplying Finlays, a vertically integrated tea business with interests spanning cultivation, processing, blending and distribution. Finlays sources from a wide network of estates globally and serves both branded tea companies and foodservice clients. The presence of Finlays as a buyer suggests that Samukirana's output enters a commercial supply chain oriented towards volume, consistency and blending, rather than single-estate or speciality retail channels. This positioning is consistent with the profile of many low-grown Sri Lankan estates, whose teas typically serve as backbone material in mass-market blends rather than standalone offerings.
- Recorded supplier to Finlays
Location & Neighbouring Estates
Samukirana lies at 6.2779, 80.6908 in Southern Province, Sri Lanka. Its 138 m elevation is the joint 33rd highest of 134 estates we map in Southern Province. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:
- Green Lanka — 6.3 km away
- Dampahala — 6.7 km away
- Andaradeniya Estate, Galaxy — 6.8 km away
- Urubokka — 7.4 km away
- Berubeula — 7.4 km away
Estates at a Similar Altitude to Samukirana
Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match Samukirana (138 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. Samukirana recorded 2,234 mm in 2025, 23% less than the 2,915 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Himara | Southern Province, Sri Lanka | 138 m | 3,509 mm | 29.2 °C |
| Anhui Huangshan United Keemun Tea Co., Ltd. - Factory | Huangshan City, China | 137 m | 1,216 mm | 24.9 °C |
| LAMABARI | Assam, India | 139 m | 2,507 mm | 29.5 °C |
| Dehing Tea Estate | Golai No.4, India | 139 m | 2,919 mm | 28.2 °C |
| Bogawantalawa Plantations, Illuktenne | Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka | 137 m | 4,426 mm | 29.9 °C |
Samukirana Compared with Southern Province
In Southern Province, Samukirana is drier than 94% of the others by 2025 rainfall; higher than 75% of the others by elevation; the warmest of the 134 estates by daytime temperature. The table sets Samukirana 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 | Samukirana | Region median | Region range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elevation | 138 m | 46 m | 6 to 806 m |
| Annual rainfall (2025) | 2,234 mm | 3,022 mm | 2,210 to 3,589 mm |
| Mean daily high | 30.5 °C | 29.8 °C | 25.9 to 30.4 °C |
| Mean overnight low | 23.3 °C | 22.6 °C | 18.2 to 24.1 °C |
Observed Climate at Samukirana (2025)
ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for Samukirana’s coordinates recorded 2,234 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was November (560 mm) and the driest was August (46 mm). Daytime highs averaged 30.5 °C and overnight lows 23.3 °C over the year; September was the warmest month and January the coolest.
| Metric | 2025 value |
|---|---|
| Annual precipitation | 2,234 mm |
| Wettest month | November (560 mm) |
| Driest month | August (46 mm) |
| Mean daily high | 30.5 °C |
| Mean overnight low | 23.3 °C |
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Samukirana located?
Samukirana is in Southern Province, Sri Lanka, at coordinates 6.2779, 80.6908, at an elevation of about 138 metres.
What type of tea does Samukirana produce?
Samukirana is recorded as producing black tea.
Which buyers does Samukirana supply?
Public supplier disclosures record Samukirana as supplying Finlays.
How much rain does Samukirana receive?
ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 2,234 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in November (560 mm).
How does Samukirana compare with estates at a similar elevation?
Samukirana recorded 2,234 mm in 2025, 23% less rain than the 2,915 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].