2026 China Spring Tea Production and Market Report
The original, two-part report can be found on their WeChat account, but below is a translated summary of key highlights:
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/AxitP0gUbGqrkQY4U476oQ
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/oKew9hM3KdWwIXQDHHQlxQ
2025 REVIEW
China’s total tea production area reached 3,541,506 hectares, yielding 3,640,300 tons of tea. Exports for the year totaled 418,800 tons with an average price of $3.69 per kg. Green tea exports were the majority, with 369,000 tons.
2026 SPRING PRODUCTION
Despite reduced average precipitation in some regions, Spring harvest generally began at the same time, or earlier than the previous year.
Some areas where famous teas are produced saw declines in Spring crop quantity. However, it should be noted that these spring crop teas are mainly about serving the domestic China market and not the bulk of teas that are exported.
Labor factors for Spring harvest included stable to slightly increased wages, and an overall decline in labor force as the average age of pluckers rises. Additionally, these pluckers often travel across regions to support tea harvest, which creates labor shortages when harvest times across multiple regions increasingly overlap.
COMMENT: The report’s analysis also indicates that Spring production volume of premium teas declined due to a shift in production toward matcha production. This aligns with shifts in China tea export prices across matcha-related export codes, and anecdotal evidence across the tea industry.
EXPORT
January to May export volumes decreased 3% over the same period the previous year, while value increased 6.2%. Average price per kg also increased 9.5%.
ANALYSIS
China’s overall tea position remains strong. Production levels remain high, partly due to gains in hectares. While labor issues present a challenge for more premium tea harvests, increasing amounts of automation have helped to offset workforce challenges for commodity tea.
Matcha production was the major disruptor for the Spring. In 2025, China boasted matcha production of 12,000 tons, or roughly 70% of total global production for the year. Since then, China has continued to boost both its production area and infrastructure. Active matcha production lines have grown from 120 to nearly 600. Tencha leaf volumes have increased threefold at more standard quality levels, and roughly 1.5 times at higher-grade levels. Guizhou and Hubei provinces have been the primary drivers of this growth, while Zhejiang province remains a leader in total volume and is recognized for its higher quality standards. At the same time, Japan’s matcha production reached approximately 4,000 tons, which puts its current export volume of 8,700 tons in a complicated light. The gap suggests Japan is supplementing its domestic leaf supply with base green tea leaf sourced from China to meet demand. Export data and anecdotal evidence within the industry bear this out. Given the level of investment in matcha processing capacity, the tides are shifting towards continued shifts in green tea (particularly organic Chinese green tea) towards matcha production. If matcha’s popularity dips, other powdered teas (like hojicha) may fill the gaps.
- BELT, CROP, DATA, PRODUCTION, REPORT