In short: Thalgampola is a low-grown tea estate in Sri Lanka's Southern Province, operating at 37 metres above sea level and recorded as supplying Finlays.
Thalgampola is a tea estate located in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka, operating at an elevation of just 37 metres above sea level. This places it firmly within the island's low-grown category, a designation that shapes both the agronomic character of the plantation and the style of leaf it produces. The estate is recorded as supplying Finlays, one of the established names in the global tea supply chain.
Terroir & Climate
At 37 metres above sea level and situated at approximately 6°N latitude, Thalgampola occupies a warm, humid coastal environment characteristic of Sri Lanka's southern lowlands. Estates at this elevation typically experience year-round warmth with little seasonal temperature variation, and the Southern Province generally receives substantial rainfall from both the southwest monsoon and inter-monsoonal periods. These conditions tend to promote rapid, vigorous vegetative growth and allow for near-continuous plucking cycles throughout much of the year.
Low-grown Ceylon teas from this latitude are generally produced under consistently warm conditions that favour high yield and robust leaf development. The absence of the cooler nights and temperature swings found at mid- or high-elevation sites typically results in faster growth rates and a different balance of chemical constituents in the fresh leaf. Estates in the Southern Province's low-grown belt often contend with higher ambient humidity and the agronomic challenges that accompany lowland tropical cultivation, though these same conditions can support the generous flush that sustains commercial-scale black tea production.
Tea Produced
Thalgampola produces black tea, the style that dominates low-grown production across Sri Lanka. Teas from estates at this elevation in the Southern Province typically yield a full-bodied, robust cup with relatively straightforward character—less of the bright, complex aromatics associated with high-grown Ceylon and more of the strength and colour prized in blending and everyday-drinking formats. The liquor tends to be darker, the flavour bold and malty, with a straightforward astringency that provides structure. Low-grown Ceylon blacks of this type are often valued by buyers for their consistency, body, and utility in breakfast blends and ready-to-drink applications.
Supply Chain & Market Position
Thalgampola is recorded as supplying Finlays, a vertically integrated tea company with significant sourcing, blending, and distribution operations worldwide. This relationship suggests that the estate's output is channelled into a professional supply chain with established quality protocols and onward routes to retail and foodservice markets. Finlays sources from multiple origins and operates its own estates and processing facilities, so its procurement from Thalgampola indicates the estate meets the standards required for inclusion in commercial blends or branded product lines. The connection places Thalgampola within a global network, though the lack of publicly recorded detail about tonnage or contract terms leaves the precise scale and strategic importance of this supply relationship undisclosed.
- Recorded supplier to Finlays
Location & Neighbouring Estates
Thalgampola lies at 6.0875, 80.3043 in Southern Province, Sri Lanka. Its 37 m elevation is the 75th highest of 134 estates we map in Southern Province. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:
- New Kottawa Valley — under 1 km away
- Lucky Kottawa — under 1 km away
- Samrin — under 1 km away
- Liyota, Lickra — 1.1 km away
- Captain Garden — 2.2 km away
Estates at a Similar Altitude to Thalgampola
Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match Thalgampola (37 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. Thalgampola recorded 3,195 mm in 2025, 17% more than the 2,734 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chotolekha Tea Estate Factory | Moulvibazar, Bangladesh | 37 m | 3,054 mm | 29.9 °C |
| Ethoya Watta | Central Province, Sri Lanka | 37 m | 3,815 mm | 30.1 °C |
| KURMAH TEA FACTORY | Moulvibazar, Bangladesh | 36 m | 2,057 mm | 30.2 °C |
| Changsha Tea Factory | Hunan Province, China | 38 m | 1,323 mm | 24.6 °C |
| Kalline Tea Estate | Sundeura, India | 38 m | 3,423 mm | 29.8 °C |
Thalgampola Compared with Southern Province
In Southern Province, Thalgampola is wetter than 62% of the others by 2025 rainfall; lower than 56% of the others by elevation; cooler than 68% of the others by daytime temperature. The table sets Thalgampola 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 | Thalgampola | Region median | Region range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elevation | 37 m | 49 m | 6 to 806 m |
| Annual rainfall (2025) | 3,195 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 | 23.0 °C | 22.6 °C | 18.2 to 24.1 °C |
Observed Climate at Thalgampola (2025)
ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for Thalgampola’s coordinates recorded 3,195 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was November (526 mm) and the driest was February (77 mm). Daytime highs averaged 29.6 °C and overnight lows 23.0 °C over the year; May was the warmest month and January the coolest.
| Metric | 2025 value |
|---|---|
| Annual precipitation | 3,195 mm |
| Wettest month | November (526 mm) |
| Driest month | February (77 mm) |
| Mean daily high | 29.6 °C |
| Mean overnight low | 23.0 °C |
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Thalgampola located?
Thalgampola is in Southern Province, Sri Lanka, at coordinates 6.0875, 80.3043, at an elevation of about 37 metres.
What type of tea does Thalgampola produce?
Thalgampola is recorded as producing black tea.
Which buyers does Thalgampola supply?
Public supplier disclosures record Thalgampola as supplying Finlays.
How much rain does Thalgampola receive?
ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 3,195 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in November (526 mm).
How does Thalgampola compare with estates at a similar elevation?
Thalgampola recorded 3,195 mm in 2025, 17% more rain than the 2,734 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].