Japan - Green tea export increases
The Japanese "Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and Fisheries" has published updated statistics on the green tea market.
Japanese green tea leaves are harvested and processed in their place of origin, while in the region where they are consumed, they are mixed and become the "green tea" product.
The main producing regions are the provinces of Shizuoka, Kagoshima, Mie, Kyoto and Fukuoka.
In 2004, following the increase in demand, the production volume exceeded 100,000 tons, but in recent years it was stationary, with around 80,000 tons a year. As for exports to foreign countries, thanks to the growing attention to Japanese food, it has increased three times in the last 10 years. In 2018, exports amounted to 126 million euros with a 7% increase compared to the previous year. The largest export is to the USA, which covers 30% of the total amount of exported products.
As for organic green tea, the demand from abroad is also considerable, especially from the EU. Due to this trend, the Japanese authorities are working to establish new conditions for the export of the product, from new MRLs to a manual for the control of tea pests.
Source: website of the "Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries"