Participants in this season’s last Uji tea leaves auction check the quality of crops at the Uji tea distribution center of the Japan Agricultural Cooperatives (JA) Group’s Zen-Noh Kyoto in Joyo, Kyoto Prefecture, on July 31. (Mainichi/Kentaro Suzuki)
JOYO, Kyoto — Total auction sales of this year’s first-picked renowned Uji green tea leaves in Kyoto Prefecture surpassed the 4-billion-yen (about $27.4-million) mark for the first time since the Kyoto tea leaf market opened in 1974, thanks to their popularity among foreigners.
This season’s last auction of Uji green tea leaves was held at the Uji tea distribution center of the Japan Agricultural Cooperatives (JA) Group’s Zen-Noh Kyoto in Joyo, Kyoto Prefecture, on July 31, marking the end of trading for first- and second-crop leaves. Total sales increased for the fourth consecutive year to some 4.61 billion yen (roughly $31.7 million) this year, of which 4.03 billion yen was for first-picked leaves — a record high. The overall transaction volume was also up 44 metric tons from the previous year to 1,126 tons. The JA said, “Against the backdrop of a recovery in inbound foreigners and exports, transactions expanded, driven by the production of ‘tencha,’ which is used for matcha.”
This year, the first auction was delayed by eight days from 2023 due to cold weather in March, but the higher temperatures in April helped tea grow, and producers increased shipments of first-picked leaves. In particular, demand for matcha is high due to inbound visitors and exports, leading to a booming trade in its raw material, tencha, with related auctions held 34 times — more than in the previous year. On the other hand, the auctions for “momicha” (tea leaves steamed and rolled before being dried) were held only 26 times, nine fewer than in 2023, due to factors including a shift to tencha and a decrease in the amount of second-crop tea leaves.
The unit price of first-picked leaves was 4,597 yen (approx. $32) per kilogram, up 16% from the previous year, on average for all tea varieties except “sencha,” green tea of medium quality, which saw a slight decrease.
Meanwhile, the unit price of second-picked leaves was 2,404 yen (about $17) per kilogram, down 4.4% from last year, on average, with the tencha price decreasing.
A ceremony was held after the last auction of the season, which was participated by 50 people from 30 vendors. The JA Zen-Noh Kyoto’s general manager Toshihiro Takuma summed up this year’s trade, saying, “Despite harsh climatic conditions such as the extremely hot weather, both the value and volume of transactions increased thanks to the efforts of both producers and tea merchants. The transactions were worthy of the 50th anniversary of the opening of the market.”
(Japanese original by Kentaro Suzuki, Gakken Uji Local Bureau)
AloJapan.com