Shizuoka Second-Flush Tea Hits Record-High Unit Price—70% Above Previous Year; Production Sector Booms While Tea Merchants Face Crisis
静岡県産二番茶 単価が過去最高見通し 高騰に沸く生産現場、問屋は深刻な苦境 前年比７割高 - 静岡新聞DIGITAL
🔒 Only the free preview of this
article could be fetched — the full text is behind
Shizuoka Shimbun — Tea's
paywall. Read
the original ↗
Summary
Shizuoka's second-flush (二番茶) harvest concluded by mid-month with raw tea (荒茶) prices forecast to hit record highs around ¥2,000/kg, up 70% year-on-year and roughly 4× the depressed price of two years prior. Strong demand for lower-grade teas—driven by elevated first-flush prices—combined with reduced production, has created a dramatic windfall for growers but left tea merchants facing severe margin pressure and inventory challenges.
Key points
- Raw tea unit price forecast: ~¥2,000/kg, highest on record, 70% YoY increase
- Price recovery is ~4× the record-low prices recorded two years ago
- Surge driven by lower-grade tea demand spillover from elevated first-flush market
- Growers celebrating sharp profit rebound; tea merchants reporting critical margin squeeze and supply/demand imbalance
You're reading the free briefing — upgrade to unlock every story and read any full article in English, one click.
About this article
What they said
“While production areas long battered by low tea prices now surge with activity, tea merchants face grave hardship…”
長らく茶価低迷に苦しみ続けた生産現場は活況に沸く一方、製茶問屋は深刻な苦境に陥…
The numbers
Second-flush raw tea unit price: ~¥2,000/kg
Price increase vs. two years ago: ~4×
Unlock every story on Matcha Wire.
All articles open, plus read any full article in English in
one click — $75/mo, cancel anytime.
See what you get →