Matcha crisis: prices are rising worldwide, Japan can no longer deliver!

Matcha crisis: prices are rising worldwide, Japan can no longer deliver!

Global demand for matcha has increased significantly in recent years, while production in Japan can no longer keep up. This leads to an increase in prices and even shortages in various cities, such as Los Angeles, where matcha is already sold out. According to a report by vienna.at Matcha prices are rising by up to 40 percent worldwide, reflecting the popularity of the expensive tea, which originally comes from Japan.

Japan is considered the home of high-quality matcha, but Japanese tea producers face major challenges. These include a shortage of skilled workers, time-consuming production and a lack of successors. Production volume has increased by 10 percent since 2019, but many tea manufacturers have already limited their sales volume to meet the massive demand. This happens especially because the most popular matcha variety is only harvested once a year. In fact, although matcha is harvested four times a year, the first harvest is the most in demand, further exacerbating the shortage. Additional production sites are now located in China, Taiwan and the USA, but they do not achieve the same quality as the Japanese ceremonial tea 20 minutes.

Health Benefits of Matcha

The increasing interest in matcha is also due to its health benefits. Matcha is considered a superfood due to its high concentration of antioxidants and its special nutritional composition. Studies like them on kumikomatchabyidh.ch have been documented to show that matcha promotes heart health, reduces the risk of certain types of cancer and can increase the ability to concentrate.

Another advantage of matcha compared to coffee is that the caffeine it contains works more slowly, allowing for a more stable energy supply. The L-theanine contained in the plant has relaxing properties that can help reduce stress. At the same time, the consumer advice center recommends only buying organic matcha of ceremonial quality in order to prevent health risks from possible heavy metals.

Outlook and challenges

The first matcha harvests in April could replenish stocks in the short term, but long-term adjustments in production are necessary to cover increasing international consumption. Tourists in particular appreciate the unique taste and health benefits of matcha, while consumption in Japan itself is declining. It therefore remains to be seen how the Japanese tea industry will respond to these challenges in order to ensure the quality and availability of the sought-after tea in the future.