AUDIO(Slow)
AUDIO(Normal)
Matcha in short supply worldwide
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.
-
Chat
Talk about these words from the article.
popularity / matcha / green tea / high temperatures /
farmer / news agency / leaves / niche / trendy / beverages /
smoothies / shortage / souvenirs / appetite / ceremonies
-
Discussion
1) Have you tried 'matcha' before?
2) What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'matcha'?
3) When did you first find out about matcha?
4) What do you know about matcha?
5) Is matcha the best kind of tea?
6) How have temperatures affected crops in your country?
7) Should more countries grow the green tea bushes?
8) What makes matcha so healthy and popular?
9) Which is better, coffee or tea?
10) What Japanese food products do you like?
