Japan's Ministry of Agriculture reported that green tea exports reached 48.2 billion yen in the first half of 2026 (January to June), up 83.5% from the same period a year earlier. It is the second year running that first-half tea exports have hit a record.
The ministry attributed the surge to growing worldwide demand for matcha, which is increasingly used as an ingredient in lattes, desserts and baked goods, particularly across North America and Asia. Green tea was one of the biggest contributors to Japan's total agricultural and food exports, which hit a record 897.7 billion yen for the half year.
For Premium Tea customers, the trend underlines the rising interest in quality green tea: our range includes whole-leaf green teas suited both to straight brewing and to modern preparations.
Source: News On Japan