全球对抹茶的需求激增导致供应短缺
【抹茶危机全球警报】
当星巴克拿铁撞上 Krispy Kreme 甜甜圈，世界对抹茶的狂热正让日本茶农"绿"了脸！社交媒体#MatchaTok话题席卷千万流量，京都茶铺开门秒空，美国咖啡馆日抢一公斤——高温减产遇上关税大棒，抹茶价格一年飙涨30%。茶道大师痛心疾首："看到顶级抹茶被做成甜品或囤货转卖，就像把茅台兑可乐！"（友情提示：阅读本文时，您手边的抹茶拿铁可能随时涨价）
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**World's thirst for matcha dries up global supplies**
**全球抹茶热导致供应枯竭**
2 days ago Share Save Osmond Chia Business reporter, BBC News Reporting from Singapore Share Save
2天前 谢奥斯蒙 BBC商业记者 新加坡报道 分享 收藏
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Matcha mania is sweeping the world. The bright green Japanese tea can be found in everything from Starbucks' lattes in the UK to Krispy Kreme doughnuts in Singapore. The global matcha craze is being driven by social media, with influencers sharing brewing tips, reviews and recipes. The"Matcha Tok" hashtag has clocked up tens of millions of views.
抹茶狂热席卷全球。从英国的星巴克拿铁到新加坡的Krispy Kreme甜甜圈，这种鲜绿的日本茶无处不在。社交媒体推波助澜，网红们分享冲泡技巧、测评和食谱，#MatchaTok标签浏览量已破千万。
Matcha's growing popularity is also linked to Japan's post-pandemic tourism boom, with the country's weak currency making it an attractive destination as well as boosting demand for Japanese goods. In the midst of the hype, demand for the powder is soaring.
抹茶走红还与日本旅游复苏有关——日元贬值使其成为热门旅游地，也推高了日本商品需求。热潮之下，抹茶粉需求暴涨。
US-based tea importer Lauren Purvis tells the BBC her customers are seeing what was once a month's supply of matcha running out in days."Some cafes are even asking for a kilo a day. They're desperate to keep up," says Ms Purvis, who runs Mizuba Tea Co.
美国茶叶进口商劳伦·珀维斯告诉BBC，客户们发现原本能用一月的抹茶库存如今几天见底。"有些咖啡馆甚至日求一公斤，拼命维持供应，"Mizuba茶业公司负责人珀维斯说。
But that surging demand, combined with smaller tea crops due to heatwaves and US tariffs on Japan, is also pushing up matcha prices.
但需求激增叠加高温减产和美国对日关税，抹茶价格水涨船高。
Courtesy of Mizuba Tea Co. Lauren Purvis runs a matcha firm called Mizuba Tea Co
由Mizuba茶业公司提供 劳伦·珀维斯经营抹茶企业Mizuba Tea Co
Traditionally, Matcha - which is sought for its health benefits, caffeine and flavour - is the product of a centuries-old and highly-specialised process.
传统上，抹茶因其健康功效、咖啡因含量和风味，是数百年高度专业化工艺的产物。
It is made from green tea leaves called tencha, which are kept under shade for weeks while they're still growing. This step is crucial for developing the tea's signature"umami" flavour - a savoury taste that complements its natural sweetness.
它由称为"碾茶"的绿茶制成，茶叶生长期间需遮荫数周。这一步对形成抹茶标志性的"鲜味"至关重要——这种咸鲜味能平衡其天然甜度。
The leaves are harvested, dried and ground into powder using stone mills, which can produce just 40g (1.4oz) of matcha an hour.
茶叶经采摘、干燥后，用石磨研磨成粉，每小时仅能产出40克。
But in recent months growers have struggled, as record-breaking heatwaves have hit crops. In the Kyoto region, where about a quarter of Japan's tencha comes from, hot weather has led to poor harvests even as demand soars.
但近期创纪录高温影响收成，茶农举步维艰。京都地区供应日本约1/4碾茶，炎热天气导致歉收，而需求却不断攀升。
The country also faces a shortage of farmers as its population ages and not enough younger people go into the industry.
日本还面临农民短缺问题——人口老龄化，年轻人不愿务农。
Shops in Uji, a city in Kyoto famous for matcha, often see their shelves emptied by tourists as soon as their doors open. As a result, many retailers have set limits on how much customers can buy.
京都宇治市以抹茶闻名，当地店铺常刚开门就被游客扫空。许多商家因此限购。
Kyoto-based Camellia Tea Ceremony allows customers to purchase only one tin of matcha each as visitor numbers doubled over the last year, says director Atsuko Mori.
京都山茶茶道馆馆长森敦子表示，由于客流量翻倍，现每人限购一罐抹茶。
Tea master Rie Takeda says she also has to closely monitor her stocks of matcha, as orders that would previously arrive in just days can now take more than a week.
茶道大师武田理恵称必须紧盯库存，以往几天到货的订单现在需一周多。
She works for Chazen, a tea ceremony chain based in Tokyo, which hosts traditional rituals serving matcha to guests. Shortages mean tea prices at Chazen's outlets have risen by around 30% this year.
她在东京茶禅连锁店工作，为客人举办传统抹茶仪式。短缺致其门店抹茶价格今年涨约30%。
"[The demand] is good," Ms Takeda said through a translator."It's a gateway for more people to know about Japanese culture."
"（需求旺盛）是好事，"武田通过翻译表示，"让更多人了解日本文化。"
It has also attracted more growers. Matcha production nearly tripled between 2010 and 2023, according to Japan's agricultural ministry.
还吸引了更多茶农。日本农林水产省称，2010至2023年抹茶产量近翻三倍。
It also says green tea exports, including matcha, also rose 25% last year to 36.4bn yen (£180m; $250m).
包括抹茶在内的绿茶出口去年增25%达364亿日元（1.8亿英镑；2.5亿美元）。
Savour, not hoard
品味，而非囤积
The matcha craze has sparked a movement to promote more mindful consumption. Advocates call out people they see as hoarding matcha or profiteering from its popularity.
抹茶热引发理性消费运动。倡导者谴责囤积抹茶或借机牟利者。
Others urge tea drinkers to be careful about how much they use, and to savour matcha in its purest form rather than as an ingredient in recipes.
还有人呼吁茶客注意用量，以最纯粹的形式品味抹茶，而非仅作食谱配料。
It's"a bit sad" to see high-grade matcha used in cooking - where its delicate flavour is often lost - or stockpiled for resale, said Ms Mori.
森女士说，看到高档抹茶被用于烹饪（风味尽失）或囤货转卖，"有点可悲"。
"Matcha is the highest grade of tea and it's so special to us. So there's a bit of a contradiction when I hear stories about how it's resold or used in food."
"抹茶是最高级的茶，对我们很特别。所以听到它被转卖或用于食物，有点矛盾。"
Courtesy of Camellia Tea Ceremony Matcha is used in traditional Japanese tea ceremonies
由山茶茶道馆提供 抹茶用于日本传统茶道
