(Tokyo) – Growing worldwide demand for green tea and matcha tea powder has producers in Japan running thin. Green tea is made from loose leaves and matcha from pulverized green tea leaves. Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries data shows the country produced almost three times more matcha from 2010 to 2023 with more than half exported. Green tea leaves are hard to scale because it takes years for the plant to mature and processing equipment is expensive. Some experts say more people are drawn to the tea’s health benefits and also point to the fact that product access has expanded on social media.
The United Arab Emirates is Japan’s top consumer.
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