Sunrise

Sunrise is a tea estate located in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka, operating at an elevation of 235 metres above sea level. The estate produces black tea and is known to supply Finlays, a major player in the global tea supply chain. The Southern Province lies in the island's low-grown tea belt, where estates typically cultivate on coastal plains and lower inland slopes.

Terroir & Climate

At 235 metres, Sunrise sits firmly within Sri Lanka's low-grown classification, a zone typically characterised by warmer temperatures, higher humidity, and faster vegetative growth than the mid- or high-elevation districts. Estates at this altitude generally experience less diurnal temperature variation, which tends to promote vigorous leaf development and shorter plucking cycles. The Southern Province's proximity to the coast often brings maritime influence, though rainfall patterns and soil composition vary locally.

Low-grown Ceylon teas are generally harvested year-round, with estates in this elevation band often able to maintain consistent cropping. The warmer growing conditions typically encourage robust, fast-growing bushes, and the leaf character that results tends to reflect the accelerated metabolism: bolder, more assertive in structure than the slower-grown teas of the highlands.

Tea Produced

Sunrise produces black tea, the dominant style across Sri Lanka's low-grown estates. Teas from this elevation and region typically yield a full-bodied, brisk cup with good strength and colour—qualities that have historically made low-grown Ceylon a staple in blends destined for international markets. The liquor tends to be darker and more robust than high-grown Ceylon, with a straightforward, malty character rather than the delicate, bright notes associated with estates above 1,200 metres. Such teas are often valued for consistency and body rather than aromatic complexity.

Supply Chain & Market Position

Sunrise is recorded as a supplier to Finlays, one of the world's largest tea and beverage companies with extensive sourcing operations across East Africa and South Asia. Finlays operates its own estates and also sources from independent producers for blending and global distribution, serving both retail brands and foodservice channels. The presence of Finlays as a buyer suggests that Sunrise's output is integrated into a commercial supply chain geared toward volume and consistency, typical of low-grown Ceylon black teas destined for international blend markets rather than single-estate retail.

• Recorded supplier to  Finlays

Location & Neighbouring Estates

Sunrise lies at 6.2509, 80.6059 in Southern Province, Sri Lanka. Its 235 m elevation is the joint 21st highest of 134 estates we map in Southern Province. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:

• Pasgoda — under 1 km away
• Nilrich — 1.3 km away
• Lakvinka — 1.5 km away
• Dampahala — 3.4 km away
• Rotumba — 3.7 km away

Estates at a Similar Altitude to Sunrise

Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match Sunrise (235 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. Sunrise recorded 2,342 mm in 2025, 12% more than the 2,085 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
Small Organic Farmers\u0027 Association (SOFA)	Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka	232 m	2,205 mm	30.5 °C
Kairbetta Estate	Nilgiris, India	231 m	745 mm	34.5 °C
Yixian Qingye Tea Farm Co. Ltd - final packing and primary processing	Huang Shan, China	241 m	1,194 mm	22.7 °C
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

Sunrise Compared with Southern Province

In Southern Province, Sunrise is drier than 93% of the others by 2025 rainfall; higher than 84% of the others by elevation; cooler than 68% of the others by daytime temperature. The table sets Sunrise 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	Sunrise	Region median	Region range
Elevation	235 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	29.6 °C	29.8 °C	25.9 to 30.5 °C
Mean overnight low	22.4 °C	22.6 °C	18.2 to 24.1 °C

Observed Climate at Sunrise (2025)

ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for Sunrise’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 29.6 °C and overnight lows 22.4 °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	29.6 °C
Mean overnight low	22.4 °C

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Sunrise located?

Sunrise is in Southern Province, Sri Lanka, at coordinates 6.2509, 80.6059, at an elevation of about 235 metres.

What type of tea does Sunrise produce?

Sunrise is recorded as producing black tea.

Which buyers does Sunrise supply?

Public supplier disclosures record Sunrise as supplying Finlays.

How much rain does Sunrise receive?

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

How does Sunrise compare with estates at a similar elevation?

Sunrise recorded 2,342 mm in 2025, 12% more rain than the 2,085 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].