Matcha shortage pushes origin labeling calls

A global matcha shortage is colliding with a labeling problem, and analysts say counterfeit powder is filling the gap. (globaldata.com) GlobalData said on April 24 that tighter origin labels, certification standards, and tougher import checks are needed as demand outruns supply. The warning was picked up by Retail Asia this week. (globaldata.com) (retailasia.com) The firm said some low-grade matcha and bargain blends have tested above safety thresholds for lead, arsenic, and cadmium. It said mislabeling and counterfeit branding are spreading as cheaper substitutes enter the market. (globaldata.com) The supply squeeze starts at the farm. Matcha leaves are harvested once a year, and GlobalData said grinding capacity, drying facilities, drought, and heatwaves are all limiting output. (globaldata.com) Japan’s export data shows how fast demand has accelerated. The Yomiuri Shimbun, citing Finance Ministry trade statistics, reported that green tea exports including matcha reached 12,612 tons in 2025, worth about ¥72.1 billion. (japannews.yomiuri.co.jp) That was nearly double the previous record value of ¥36.4 billion in 2024, and the United States was the largest market at ¥29.3 billion. The same report said exports have tripled over the past decade. (japannews.yomiuri.co.jp) The Asahi Shimbun reported that export value had already reached ¥53.9 billion in the first 10 months of 2025, with shipments above 10,000 tons for the first time since 1954. Farmers in Shizuoka told the paper foreign buyers were increasingly visiting tea regions to source premium matcha directly. (asahi.com) Japanese officials are also steering more production toward tencha, the shaded leaf that gets ground into matcha. GlobalData said the Ministry of Agriculture is using subsidies and young-farmer support to shift acreage away from sencha and toward export-focused output. (globaldata.com) Brand protection is becoming part of that push. GlobalData said Japan’s agriculture ministry is backing regional trademarks such as “Uji Matcha” to defend premium origins against counterfeit claims. (globaldata.com) The trade promotion agency JETRO has also been pitching quality differences in Japanese tea to U.S. buyers as overseas demand rises, especially in the United States. Its December notice said tea exports had already hit 38 billion yen from January through August 2025. (jetro.go.jp) For cafes and food brands, the next pressure point is verification. The more matcha prices rise, the more valuable an origin claim becomes. (globaldata.com)