The World Thirst for Tea Swallows Global Supplies

Matcha Mania Met the World. The bright green Japanese tea can be found in everything from Starbucks latte in the UK to Krispy Kreme Donuts in Singapore.

Matcha global obsession is guided by social media, with influencing sharing advice, reviews and recipes. The hashtag “Matcha Tok” has collected tens of millions of views.

Matcha’s increasing popularity is also associated with Japan’s postpartemia tourist boomWith the weak currency of the country, which makes it an attractive destination, as well as enhance the demand for Japanese goods.

In the midst of over -demand for the dust, it rises. The US -based tea importer Lauren Paris tells the BBC that its customers are seeing what it was once a month’s delivery of Matcha, expiring from days.

“Some cafes even want a pound a day. They are desperate to continue,” says G -Jzha First, who runs Mizuba Tea CoS

But this growing demand, combined with smaller tea crops due to heat waves and rates in the United States in Japan, is also Pressing the prices of matches.

Traditionally, Matcha – which is sought because of its health benefits, caffeine and aroma – is the product of a centuries -old and highly specialized process.

It is made of green tea leaves called Tencha, which are kept under the shade for weeks until they are still growing. This step is crucial for the development of the “Umami” aroma of tea – a spicy taste that complements its natural sweetness.

The leaves are collected, dry And it is grinded with dust using stone mills that can only produce 40 g (1.4oz) match per hour.

But in recent months, manufacturers have been fighting as record heat waves have hit the crops.

In the Kyoto area, where about a quarter of the Japanese Tencha comes from, the hot weather has led to bad harvests, even when demand rises.

The country is also faced with a shortage of farmers, as its population at age and not more than a young people enter the industry.

Shops in Uji, a city in Kyoto, known for the match, often see their The shelves emptied From tourists as soon as their doors open.

As a result, many retailers have set limits on how many customers they can buy.

Kyoto -based tea ceremony allows clients to buy only one tin mat, as visitors’ numbers have doubled in the last year, says director Atsuko Mori.

Tea Master Rie Takada says she too It has to closely monitor its MATCHA stocks, as orders that would have arrived for days in just days can now take more than a week.

She works for Chazen, a tea ceremony chain based in Tokyo, which hosts traditional guest maturity rituals.

The shortage means that the prices of tea at Chazen’s retail outlets have increased by about 30% this year.

“(Demand) is good,” said G -Ja Takeda through a translator. “This is a portal for more people to know about Japanese culture.”

He also attracted more manufacturers.

Matcha production has almost tripled between 2010 and 2023, according to the Japan Ministry of Agriculture.

He also says that green tea exports, including Matcha, also increased by 25% last year to £ 36.4 billion ($ 180 million; $ 250 million).

Matcha’s massage causes a movement to promote more careful consumption.

Defenders call on the people who see as a match or profit from their popularity. Others call on tea drinkers to be careful how much they use, and to enjoy the matcha in their cleanest form, not as an ingredient in the recipes.

“It’s a little sad” to see a high quality mat used in cooking – where its delicate aroma is often lost – or reserved for resale, said G -ja Mori.

“Matcha is the highest class of tea and is so special to us. So there is a little contradiction when I hear stories about how it is resold or used in food.”

The Global Japanese Tea Association encourages people to use a later harvesting mat from later harvests, which is more abundant and more suitable for cooking.

High quality Matcha often loses its delicate taste when used in drinks like latte, he adds.

“Encouraging awareness of these distinctions helps to ensure that Japanese tea enjoys respect, while supporting the craft and tradition behind it,” the association said.

It is also said that matches prices are likely to rise further due to the tariffs that the United States imposes on Japan.

Tuesday Washington and Tokyo announced trade deal This will mean a 15% tax on the import of Japanese products Entering the US.

Matcha distributors as d -jam purvis are prepared for the impact. Oregon -based entrepreneur says the orders, which increased by more than 70% in early July before a deadline for both parties, reached a trade agreement.

“Because Japanese tea is not grown in the United States, there is no US industry from the threat that tariffs should defend,” she said. “We hope that there will be an awareness that specialized tea should be released.”

Even demand and limited supplies raise prices, there is a little light on the horizon.

At least one Cafe Matcha chain thinks prices could be facilitated in the future – though not for a while.

“The low -quality match is for sale at a high price and we think this will no longer be a viable business,” Masahiro Nga, co -founder of Matcha Tokyo, said in front of the BBC.

“There is a boom right now and the demand is growing rapidly, but we think this will calm down shortly in two to three years.”