Ruhuna Tea produces beautiful long leaves for radish cup
The Ruhuna tea region of Sri Lanka sits between sea level and 2000 feet. This area falls under “low-grown.” There are several sub-districts within the districts, including Ratnapura/Balangoda, Deniyaya, Matara, and Galle.
The Ruhuna tea area was a latecomer to the Sri Lanka tea industry. It was only around 1900 that the first estates opened among the foothills of the central mountain massif, at a convenient distance from Galle and Matara, with their road and rail connections to the capital.
The tea estates of the region lie at altitudes between sea level and 2,000 feet. Although the main tea-growing areas are relatively near the coast, the predominant weather patterns prevent them from receiving the full force of the southwest monsoon winds and the rain they bring.
Before introducing tea, this area cultivated a lot of spices like cinnamon and pepper.
This low-elevation area grows tea bushes rapidly, producing long, beautiful leaves. Ruhuna factories produce a wide variety of leaf styles and sizes, from prized ‘tips’ through the hole-and semi-whole-leaf teas to ‘fannings’ and CTC.