In short: Malwatte Valley Plantations, Sarina Group, Sarnia Plaiderie is a black tea estate in Sri Lanka's Uva Province, situated at 1,022 metres and recorded as supplying Finlays.
Malwatte Valley Plantations, Sarina Group, Sarnia Plaiderie is a tea estate in Uva Province, Sri Lanka, positioned at an elevation of 1,022 metres above sea level. The estate operates under the name Malwatte Valley Plantations, Sarina Group, Sarnia Plaiderie and is known to supply Finlays, a major player in the global tea trade.
Terroir & Climate
At 1,022 metres, this estate sits in the mid-elevation band where Sri Lankan tea production typically balances the briskness of higher altitudes with the body and yield advantages of lower zones. Uva Province's situation on the eastern flank of the central highlands exposes it to the south-west monsoon and the north-east monsoon in alternating seasons, a pattern that tends to influence both the concentration of flavour compounds in the leaf and the timing of quality peaks during the year.
Estates at this elevation in Uva generally experience moderate diurnal temperature variation and benefit from well-distributed rainfall, although the district is known for a pronounced dry spell during the south-west monsoon months (roughly June to August). This dry period, combined with the region's characteristic winds, is often associated with the production of teas displaying enhanced aromatic intensity and a distinctive character, though specific outcomes depend on cultivar, field management and processing choices.
Tea Produced
The estate produces black tea. Mid-elevation Uva teas typically offer a balance between the lighter, more delicate profiles of high-grown Ceylon and the fuller body of low-grown leaf. Teas from this region are often noted for their clean, bright infusion and a tendency toward a crisp, slightly dry astringency, particularly during the eastern quality season when conditions favour concentration of flavour. The cup character can range from brisk and refreshing to more rounded and mellow, depending on the time of harvest and manufacturing technique employed.
Supply Chain & Market Position
Malwatte Valley Plantations, Sarina Group, Sarnia Plaiderie is recorded as supplying Finlays, a vertically integrated tea and coffee company with extensive sourcing, blending and packing operations across Africa and Asia. Finlays supplies a wide range of multinational brands and private-label customers, indicating that this estate's output is likely destined for the branded or own-label retail markets in Europe, North America and elsewhere. The relationship suggests the estate meets the quality, traceability and consistency standards required by major downstream buyers in the commodity and branded segments of the tea trade.
- Recorded supplier to Finlays
Location & Neighbouring Estates
Malwatte Valley Plantations, Sarina Group, Sarnia Plaiderie lies at 7.0203, 81.0182 in Uva Province, Sri Lanka. Its 1022 m elevation is the 20th highest of 28 estates we map in Uva Province. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:
- Rathkelle Tea Estate — 5.0 km away · Hingurugama Complex
- Balangoda Plantations, Glen Alpin Group — 5.0 km away
- Malwatte Valley Plantations, Dickwella — 6.7 km away
- Balangoda Plantations, Telebedde — 8.4 km away
- Blairlomond Tea Estate — 11 km away · Madulla Road
Estates at a Similar Altitude to Malwatte Valley Plantations, Sarina Group, Sarnia Plaiderie
Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match Malwatte Valley Plantations, Sarina Group, Sarnia Plaiderie (1,022 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. Malwatte Valley Plantations, Sarina Group, Sarnia Plaiderie recorded 2,714 mm in 2025, within 5% of the 2,680 mm average across these estates, so altitude explains most of its rainfall.
| Estate | Where | Elevation | Rain 2025 | Mean high |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Namingomba Tea Estates Limited | Thyolo, Malawi | 1,022 m | 1,525 mm | 24.1 °C |
| Kahawatte Plantations, Kataboola | Central Province, Sri Lanka | 1,025 m | 4,013 mm | 24.0 °C |
| Harangala | Central Province, Sri Lanka | 1,011 m | 4,013 mm | 24.0 °C |
| Goomtee Tea Estate | Darjeeling, India | 1,010 m | 2,805 mm | 22.5 °C |
| IGEMBE (Kiegoi \u0026 Igembe Factory) | Igembe South, Kenya | 1,008 m | 1,042 mm | 26.7 °C |
Malwatte Valley Plantations, Sarina Group, Sarnia Plaiderie Compared with Uva Province
In Uva Province, Malwatte Valley Plantations, Sarina Group, Sarnia Plaiderie is wetter than 93% of the others by 2025 rainfall; lower than 70% of the others by elevation; warmer than 89% of the others by daytime temperature. The table sets Malwatte Valley Plantations, Sarina Group, Sarnia Plaiderie against the 27 other estates we map in Uva Province, so you can see whether it is typical for its region or an outlier.
| Measure | Malwatte Valley Plantations, Sarina Group, Sarnia Plaiderie | Region median | Region range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elevation | 1,022 m | 1,169 m | 560 to 1,535 m |
| Annual rainfall (2025) | 2,714 mm | 2,319 mm | 2,188 to 2,899 mm |
| Mean daily high | 26.6 °C | 25.1 °C | 22.4 to 28.7 °C |
| Mean overnight low | 17.7 °C | 16.4 °C | 14.5 to 20.0 °C |
Observed Climate at Malwatte Valley Plantations, Sarina Group, Sarnia Plaiderie (2025)
ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for Malwatte Valley Plantations, Sarina Group, Sarnia Plaiderie’s coordinates recorded 2,714 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was November (678 mm) and the driest was May (55 mm). Daytime highs averaged 26.6 °C and overnight lows 17.7 °C over the year; July was the warmest month and January the coolest.
| Metric | 2025 value |
|---|---|
| Annual precipitation | 2,714 mm |
| Wettest month | November (678 mm) |
| Driest month | May (55 mm) |
| Mean daily high | 26.6 °C |
| Mean overnight low | 17.7 °C |
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Malwatte Valley Plantations, Sarina Group, Sarnia Plaiderie located?
Malwatte Valley Plantations, Sarina Group, Sarnia Plaiderie is in Uva Province, Sri Lanka, at coordinates 7.0203, 81.0182, at an elevation of about 1022 metres.
Who operates Malwatte Valley Plantations, Sarina Group, Sarnia Plaiderie?
Malwatte Valley Plantations, Sarina Group, Sarnia Plaiderie is operated by Malwatte Valley Plantations, Sarina Group, Sarnia Plaiderie, according to public supply-chain records.
What type of tea does Malwatte Valley Plantations, Sarina Group, Sarnia Plaiderie produce?
Malwatte Valley Plantations, Sarina Group, Sarnia Plaiderie is recorded as producing black tea.
Which buyers does Malwatte Valley Plantations, Sarina Group, Sarnia Plaiderie supply?
Public supplier disclosures record Malwatte Valley Plantations, Sarina Group, Sarnia Plaiderie as supplying Finlays.
How much rain does Malwatte Valley Plantations, Sarina Group, Sarnia Plaiderie receive?
ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 2,714 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in November (678 mm).
How does Malwatte Valley Plantations, Sarina Group, Sarnia Plaiderie compare with estates at a similar elevation?
Estates at a similar elevation recorded about 2,680 mm of rain in 2025, close to the 2,714 mm at Malwatte Valley Plantations, Sarina Group, Sarnia Plaiderie.
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].
