Japan to promote Matcha Tea

The government is considering measures to prompt Japanese green tea farmers to shift more productionto "tencha" leaves that can be ground into matcha powder, from "sencha," commonly consumed in Japan,to boost tea exports.

It seeks to capitalize on the booming market abroad for matcha, often used in desserts and drink, tomake up for falling green tea consumption at home.

Tencha is made by steaming and drying tea leaves grown in the shade, which are then processed into afine powder when producing matcha. Sencha, by contrast, is made by steaming, kneading and drying sun-grownleaves.

Japan's green tea exports had surged around nine-fold to a record 29.2 billion yen ($185 million) over the15 years through 2023, lifted mainly by matcha on the back of the increased popularity for Japanese foodamong health-conscious consumers in Europe and the United States.

Japan's tea production, on the other hand, dropped by over 20 percent during the same period, reflectingthe aging farm population and a nearly 40 percent drop in the average annual spending on green tea perhousehold.

Source: Kyodo News (Extracts), Courtesy: Tea Exporters’ Association Sri Lanka