BUHWEJU

Buhweju is a tea estate situated in the Opposite Redcross Offices region of Uganda, at an elevation of 1,196 metres. The estate is operated by Buhweju Tea Factory and is recorded as a supplier to the British retailer Morrisons. It produces both black and green tea.

Terroir & Climate

At 1,196 metres and positioned almost exactly on the equator, Buhweju occupies a mid-elevation site in Uganda's tea-growing belt. Estates at this latitude and altitude typically benefit from consistent day-length year-round and moderate diurnal temperature variation, conditions that generally permit continuous flush cycles without the pronounced dormancy seen in higher-latitude origins. The altitude is high enough to slow leaf maturation compared to lowland sites, which tends to support better accumulation of flavour compounds, yet remains below the threshold at which cooler nights would significantly extend withering times.

Uganda's tea regions generally receive bimodal rainfall patterns, with estates in this elevation band often experiencing adequate moisture distribution across much of the year. The equatorial position means that solar intensity remains relatively constant, and the interplay of warmth and altitude typically favours steady vegetative growth. Such conditions are commonly associated with leaf that is neither as delicate as high-grown teas from cooler climates nor as robust as low-elevation tropical leaf, offering a middle ground in terms of physical character and processing flexibility.

Tea Produced

Buhweju produces both black and green tea from its mid-elevation site. Black teas from Ugandan estates at comparable altitudes typically yield a cup that is medium-bodied with moderate astringency and a straightforward, malty character, often less brisk than high-grown East African teas but more structured than lowland leaf. Green tea production from equatorial mid-elevation sites generally results in a vegetal, slightly grassy profile with mild sweetness and low bitterness, though cup character depends heavily on plucking standards and processing precision. The estate's output is likely suited to blending applications as well as retail own-label offerings.

Supply Chain & Market Position

Buhweju is recorded as a supplier to Morrisons, one of the United Kingdom's major supermarket chains. This relationship places the estate within the own-label supply chain, a segment that demands consistent quality, traceability, and competitive pricing. Supplying a large British retailer indicates that Buhweju meets the compliance and volume requirements typical of such partnerships, and suggests that its output is destined for the retail tea bag and loose-leaf categories marketed under Morrisons' own brands.

• Recorded supplier to  Morrisons

Operator

The estate is operated by Buhweju Tea Factory. No other estates under this operator's management are currently recorded in our directory.

Location & Neighbouring Estates

BUHWEJU lies at 0.3077, 32.5626 in Opposite Redcross Offices, Uganda. Its 1196 m elevation is the 26th highest of 30 estates we map in Uganda. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:

• Kinkiizi Development Co Ltd, Rugyeyo Tea Factory, Kigezi Highland — 2.3 km away · Kigezi Highland
• MITYANA — 2.3 km away · Nakasero Rd
• TORO — 2.3 km away · Nakasero Rd
• MUGOMA — 5.0 km away · Kampala
• Mwera Tea Estates Ltdmwte) — 46 km away · p.o Box

Estates at a Similar Altitude to BUHWEJU

Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match BUHWEJU (1,196 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. BUHWEJU recorded 1,265 mm in 2025, 57% less than the 2,963 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
Bogawantalawa Plantations, Wanarajah	Central Province, Sri Lanka	1,199 m	4,232 mm	23.2 °C
Elpitiya Plantations, Sheen	Central Province, Sri Lanka	1,200 m	3,312 mm	23.2 °C
Shangba Tea Farm	Zunyi City, China	1,189 m	1,714 mm	18.2 °C
Gayabaree \u0026 Millikthong Tea Estate	Purba Phuguri Tea Garden, India	1,212 m	2,778 mm	21.2 °C
Phuguri Tea Estate	Saurinibasti, India	1,169 m	2,778 mm	21.5 °C

BUHWEJU Compared with Uganda

In Uganda, BUHWEJU is wetter than 55% of the others by 2025 rainfall; lower than 86% of the others by elevation; warmer than 52% of the others by daytime temperature. The table sets BUHWEJU against the 29 other estates we map in Uganda, so you can see whether it is typical for its country or an outlier.

Measure	BUHWEJU	Country median	Country range
Elevation	1,196 m	1,481 m	1,070 to 1,808 m
Annual rainfall (2025)	1,265 mm	1,251 mm	943 to 1,664 mm
Mean daily high	26.4 °C	26.0 °C	23.1 to 29.7 °C
Mean overnight low	18.0 °C	16.3 °C	14.4 to 18.7 °C

Observed Climate at BUHWEJU (2025)

ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for BUHWEJU’s coordinates recorded 1,265 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was April (185 mm) and the driest was February (26 mm). Daytime highs averaged 26.4 °C and overnight lows 18.0 °C over the year; February was the warmest month and July the coolest.

Metric	2025 value
Annual precipitation	1,265 mm
Wettest month	April (185 mm)
Driest month	February (26 mm)
Mean daily high	26.4 °C
Mean overnight low	18.0 °C

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is BUHWEJU located?

BUHWEJU is in Opposite Redcross Offices, Uganda, at coordinates 0.3077, 32.5626, at an elevation of about 1196 metres.

Who operates BUHWEJU?

BUHWEJU is operated by Buhweju Tea Factory, according to public supply-chain records.

What type of tea does BUHWEJU produce?

BUHWEJU is recorded as producing black and green tea.

Which buyers does BUHWEJU supply?

Public supplier disclosures record BUHWEJU as supplying Morrisons.

How much rain does BUHWEJU receive?

ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 1,265 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in April (185 mm).

How does BUHWEJU compare with estates at a similar elevation?

BUHWEJU recorded 1,265 mm in 2025, 57% less rain than the 2,963 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].