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The popularity of matcha is skyrocketing worldwide. The famous finely-ground green tea powder is in short supply. Most of the world's matcha is produced in Japan. Record high temperatures there have lowered harvests of the shade-grown tea leaves. Increased demand and lower crop yields have resulted in prices hitting an all-time high. Masahiro Yoshida, a sixth-generation farmer from Uji, Kyoto, told the Reuters news agency about his decreased production. He said he was only able to harvest 1.5 tons of tencha tea leaves this year, instead of his typical harvest of two tons. He added: "Last year's summer was so scorching that it damaged the bushes, so we couldn't pluck as many leaves."
Matcha has exploded in popularity, from being a niche product to becoming a trendy flavouring for beverages, smoothies, desserts, and even skincare products. The Global Japanese Tea Association said Japan's tourism boom is exacerbating the green tea shortage. It told the website Sustainability Magazine: "Many foreigners buy lots of matcha…as souvenirs, sometimes even in bulk." It that added this increased appetite for matcha was "unprecedented," and was in part fuelled by social media. Yuki Ishii, founder of the store Tealife, said demand has grown ten-fold, and that he is always out of stock. "Matcha mania" has resulted in a scarcity that is also affecting Japan's traditional tea ceremonies.
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