Overview

• Matcha accounted for more than half of Japan’s roughly 9,000 tonnes of exported green tea last year, double its share a decade ago, according to the agriculture ministry.
• Retailers in Japan have reported tourists clearing shelves early in the day and have introduced purchase limits to manage shortages.
• Producers cite heatwaves and a shrinking, aging farming workforce—down from over 53,000 in 2000 to about 12,300—as key constraints on output.
• Germany has become a key buyer, with more than 240 tonnes of powdered green tea shipped there between January and August 2024, a 240% year‑on‑year increase, and no export halt reported.
• German importer‑processor Keiko says demand now exceeds available harvest volumes, raising procurement costs for businesses and retail prices, while a Brandenburg farm led by Antje Kühnle targets its first marketable crop in spring 2026.