Ankole

Ankole is a tea estate located in the Fort Portal region of Uganda, positioned at an altitude of 1,515 metres. The estate is operated by McLeod Russel Uganda and is recorded as supplying Morrisons, the British supermarket chain. It produces both black and green tea.

Terroir & Climate

At 1,515 metres above sea level and situated close to the equator, Ankole occupies an elevation band that typically supports year-round vegetative growth with minimal seasonal dormancy. Estates at this altitude in equatorial East Africa generally experience moderate day-night temperature variation and consistent rainfall distribution, conditions that tend to favour steady flush cycles rather than the pronounced seasonal peaks seen in higher-latitude origins.

The Fort Portal region lies within Uganda's western highlands, where volcanic soils and reliable moisture levels are characteristic. This combination of equatorial latitude and mid-altitude placement often results in a growing environment that yields leaf with moderate astringency and body, though the specific soil chemistry and microclimate of individual estates will shape the final character of the processed tea.

Tea Produced

Ankole produces both black and green tea. Black teas from Ugandan estates at this elevation typically offer a straightforward, brisk cup with moderate malt and a clean finish, well-suited to blending. Green tea production in the region is less common but tends to yield a leaf with mild vegetal notes and gentle astringency, reflecting the estate's equatorial growing conditions and the processing choices made on-site.

Supply Chain & Market Position

Ankole is recorded as supplying Morrisons, one of the United Kingdom's major supermarket retailers. This relationship places the estate within the supply chain for own-label and value-segment teas, where consistent quality, reliable volume, and competitive pricing are key procurement criteria. The presence of a well-known British retailer as a buyer suggests that Ankole's output meets the standards required for large-scale consumer products in a competitive retail environment.

• Recorded supplier to  Morrisons

Operator

Ankole is operated by McLeod Russel Uganda, a company that manages multiple tea estates in the country. McLeod Russel Uganda operates four other estates recorded in our directory, indicating a significant regional footprint and the infrastructure to coordinate production, processing, and export across a portfolio of properties.

Location & Neighbouring Estates

Ankole lies at 0.6546, 30.2801 in Fort Portal, Uganda. Its 1515 m elevation is the joint 2nd highest of 11 estates we map in Fort Portal. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:

• Bugambe — under 1 km away
• BUZIRASAGAMA — under 1 km away
• Kiko — under 1 km away
• Mpanga Growers Tea Factory Ltd — under 1 km away
• MUNOBWA — under 1 km away

Estates at a Similar Altitude to Ankole

Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match Ankole (1,515 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. Ankole recorded 1,251 mm in 2025, 35% less than the 1,910 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
Maturata Plantations, Ragalla Group	Nuwara Eliya District, Sri Lanka	1,517 m	2,694 mm	22.3 °C
RUKERI ORGANIC	B.P Kigali, Rwanda	1,510 m	1,053 mm	26.3 °C
Chamu Tea Garden	Chamu Tea Garden, India	1,508 m	2,552 mm	19.6 °C
Tukdah Tea Estate	West Bengal, India	1,504 m	2,376 mm	20.7 °C
Jersey Tea Estate	Msasa, Zimbabwe	1,526 m	876 mm	24.2 °C

Ankole Compared with Fort Portal

In Fort Portal, Ankole is drier than 80% of the others by 2025 rainfall; lower than 60% of the others by elevation; the coolest of the 11 estates by daytime temperature. The table sets Ankole against the 10 other estates we map in Fort Portal, so you can see whether it is typical for its region or an outlier.

Measure	Ankole	Region median	Region range
Elevation	1,515 m	1,515 m	1,141 to 1,533 m
Annual rainfall (2025)	1,251 mm	1,251 mm	943 to 1,382 mm
Mean daily high	24.5 °C	24.9 °C	24.5 to 27.8 °C
Mean overnight low	16.1 °C	16.1 °C	15.9 to 18.0 °C

Observed Climate at Ankole (2025)

ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for Ankole’s coordinates recorded 1,251 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was October (168 mm) and the driest was January (2 mm). Daytime highs averaged 24.5 °C and overnight lows 16.1 °C over the year; February was the warmest month and August the coolest.

Metric	2025 value
Annual precipitation	1,251 mm
Wettest month	October (168 mm)
Driest month	January (2 mm)
Mean daily high	24.5 °C
Mean overnight low	16.1 °C

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Ankole located?

Ankole is in Fort Portal, Uganda, at coordinates 0.6546, 30.2801, at an elevation of about 1515 metres.

Who operates Ankole?

Ankole is operated by McLeod Russel Uganda, according to public supply-chain records.

What type of tea does Ankole produce?

Ankole is recorded as producing black and green tea.

Which buyers does Ankole supply?

Public supplier disclosures record Ankole as supplying Morrisons.

How much rain does Ankole receive?

ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 1,251 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in October (168 mm).

How does Ankole compare with estates at a similar elevation?

Ankole recorded 1,251 mm in 2025, 35% less rain than the 1,910 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].