Historic Sale of First Harvest Green Tea Shatters Price Records in Japan
The traditional tea market in Shizuoka, Japan, made headlines as the first auction of the season resulted in the highest price ever for popular green tea leaves. According to state television NHK, the “yabukita” type green tea leaves were sold for a staggering 1.11 million yen per kilogram.
The auction, which has been a tradition since 1957 in Shizuoka, saw brokers calculating prices with the local abacus “soroban” and finalizing deals with the traditional “teuchi” where both the seller and customer clap three times simultaneously. This year, a record price per kilogram was achieved, much to the delight of those involved in the industry.
Hideki Mochizuki, President of the Ryogochi Tea Industry Association, expressed his satisfaction with the quality of the tea produced, stating, “We have produced a tea with a pleasant smell. We hope that people will like its taste and aroma.” The decrease in tea harvest this year, attributed to the lingering effects of cold weather at the end of March, has also led to increased sales prices.
On average, tea sold at the auction fetched 77,637 yen ($501) per kilogram. The high demand and exceptional quality of the green tea leaves have set a positive tone for the upcoming tea season in Shizuoka, known for its premium tea production.
