Wewelkandura Records Its Best Harvest Season in a Decade
Favourable monsoon conditions and improved agronomic practices combined to deliver a record crop in 2024, with quality grades exceeding national benchmarks.
Exceptional Growing Conditions in 2024
The 2024 Maha season brought near-ideal growing conditions to the Wewelkandura district — timely northeast monsoon rains, moderate temperatures averaging 18 °C at elevation, and low incidence of blister blight. The combination allowed our bushes to produce a sustained, high-quality flush from March through November.
Yield Figures
Total green-leaf intake for the calendar year reached 3.2 million kilograms, representing a 14% increase over the five-year average. Finished tea production crossed the 800,000 kg mark for the first time since 2013.
Quality Highlights
Independent liquor assessments conducted by the Sri Lanka Tea Board during the Colombo auctions placed Wewelkandura BOP consistently in the top-10 percentile for high-grown teas. Average realised prices were 18% above the auction average.
Key quality indicators:
| Grade | Brightness | Briskness | Flavour Score | |-------|-----------|-----------|---------------| | BOP | Excellent | Very Good | 87/100 | | FBOP | Excellent | Excellent | 91/100 | | OP | Very Good | Good | 84/100 |
Team Recognition
This result is a testament to the skill of our plucking teams, who maintained strict two-leaves-and-a-bud discipline throughout the season, and our factory team, who optimised withering and oxidation parameters to match the characteristics of each day's leaf.
Management has announced a special year-end bonus for all permanent staff in recognition of this achievement.
Outlook for 2025
La Niña conditions forecast for early 2025 suggest another favourable growing season. We are investing in additional withering capacity ahead of the anticipated first quarter flush.