Green Tea
Green tea is the unoxidised leaf of Camellia sinensis. Immediately after plucking the leaf is heated to deactivate the enzymes that would otherwise turn it brown, then rolled and dried. The heating method is the fundamental divide in the trade. Japanese manufacture steams the leaf, which fixes a deep green colour and a marine, vegetal character, and produces sencha, gyokuro, bancha, hojicha and genmaicha. Chinese manufacture pan fires or bakes the leaf in a wok or drum, which gives a chestnut, toasted character, and produces longjing, chunmee, gunpowder and sencha style leaf made for export. Green tea is sold loose, in bags, and increasingly as the raw material for bottled tea, extracts and catechin supplements. It moves through origin auctions, cooperative sales, direct garden contracts and blender tenders.
Listed green tea markets
Each line is a grade at a delivery point. Open one for its full specification and terms.
Grades
Green tea is graded on the fixing method, the plucking standard and the manufactured leaf style, and is specified chemically against ISO 11287.
Fixing method
4 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| SteamedJapanese manufacture | Leaf steamed for a stated number of seconds. Asamushi is a short steam, chumushi a medium steam and fukamushi a deep steam that breaks the leaf down further and gives a cloudy, fuller infusion. |
| Pan firedChinese wok manufacture | Leaf fixed by contact with a heated wok or pan, giving a flatter leaf and a toasted, chestnut character. |
| Drum roastedMechanised pan firing | Leaf fixed in a rotating heated drum, the volume method behind most Chinese export green tea. |
| BakedOven fixing | Leaf fixed in a heated chamber, used for some Chinese and Korean styles. |
Japanese leaf style
7 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| GyokuroShaded leaf | Leaf shaded from direct sunlight for roughly three weeks before plucking, which raises amino acid content and lowers astringency. |
| SenchaUnshaded first and second flush leaf | The standard steamed green tea, rolled into fine needles. The bulk of Japanese production. |
| BanchaLater flush and coarser leaf | Leaf taken from later pluckings, giving a lighter, plainer infusion. |
| KabusechaBriefly shaded leaf | Shaded for a shorter period than gyokuro, sitting between gyokuro and sencha. |
| HojichaRoasted leaf or stem | Bancha or stem roasted after manufacture, producing a brown, low caffeine infusion. |
| KukichaStem and stalk | The stem fraction separated during sorting, sold as a distinct line. |
| GenmaichaLeaf with roasted rice | Sencha or bancha blended with roasted and popped brown rice, at a declared blend ratio. |
Chinese leaf style
5 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| LongjingFlat pressed leaf | Leaf pressed flat against the wok during firing, producing a smooth blade. |
| ChunmeeEyebrow shaped leaf | Slender curved leaf, the largest volume Chinese export green tea. Sold under numbered trade specifications agreed between the parties. |
| GunpowderRolled pellets | Leaf rolled into tight pellets that unfurl in the infusion. Graded on pellet uniformity and tightness. |
| Sencha styleNeedle rolled for export | Chinese manufactured leaf rolled in the Japanese needle form for export markets. |
| Maofeng and MaojianDowny tip leaf | Fine plucked leaf retaining visible white down on the bud. |
Chemical requirements
7 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Water extractMinimum 32 per cent | The proportion of the dry leaf that dissolves in boiling water. |
| Total ash4 to 8 per cent | The mineral residue after incineration. |
| Water soluble ashMinimum 45 per cent of total ash | The fraction of the ash that dissolves in water. |
| Acid insoluble ashMaximum 1.0 per cent | Effectively sand and soil carried with the leaf. |
| Crude fibreMaximum 16.5 per cent | A measure of stalk and coarse material in the plucked shoot. |
| Total catechinsMinimum 7 per cent | The catechin fraction, which distinguishes genuine unoxidised green tea from oxidised leaf and is the basis of the extract trade. |
| MoisturePercentage by mass | Determined on the delivered lot. The contract states the maximum. |
Grades outside this list trade on request. Send us the contract specification you work to and we will price against it.
Locations
| Country | Region | We trade it as |
|---|---|---|
| China | East Asia | Origin and destination |
| Japan | East Asia | Origin and destination |
| Vietnam | Southeast Asia | Origin and destination |
| India | South Asia | Origin and destination |
| Indonesia | Southeast Asia | Origin and destination |
| Sri Lanka | South Asia | Origin and destination |
| South Korea | East Asia | Origin and destination |
| Taiwan | East Asia | Origin and destination |
| Kenya | East Africa | Origin |
| Nepal | South Asia | Origin |
| Morocco | North Africa | Destination |
| United States | North America | Destination |
| Germany | Europe | Destination |
| France | Europe | Destination |
| United Kingdom | Europe | Destination |
| Russia | Europe | Destination |
| Poland | Europe | Destination |
| Uzbekistan | Central Asia | Destination |
| Senegal | West Africa | Destination |
| Mauritania | West Africa | Destination |
| Algeria | North Africa | Destination |
| United Arab Emirates | Middle East | Origin and destination |
| Australia | Oceania | Destination |
| Canada | North America | Destination |
Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown here.
Timing
Harvest is when the crop is taken at origin. Arrival is when a shipment from that origin typically lands in a consuming market. The gap between them is processing, grading and the voyage.
HarvestArrival
| Origin | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Apr to Sep, arrival Jun to NovFirst flush, ichibancha, plucked from late April in Kagoshima and early May in Shizuoka and Uji. Second flush from June, third from August. | ||||
| China | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Mar to Sep, arrival Jun to DecPre Qingming plucking from late March is the most sought. Main spring crop through April and May, with summer and autumn pluckings following. | ||
| Vietnam | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Harvest Mar to Nov, arrival May to JanThai Nguyen and the northern highlands pluck from March through November. | |
| South Korea | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Apr to Aug, arrival Jun to OctBoseong and Hadong first plucking from late April. | |||||
| India | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Mar to Oct, arrival Jun to DecDarjeeling, Kangra and Assam green manufacture follows the black tea flush calendar. | ||
| Indonesia | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecJava plucks year round. |
| Sri Lanka | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecPlucked year round. |
| Kenya | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecPlucked year round, with a growing orthodox and green manufacture alongside CTC. |
| Taiwan | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Apr to Oct, arrival Jun to DecSpring plucking from April and winter plucking from October. |
Windows outside this pattern trade on request, including carry, forward positions and stock already sitting in a destination warehouse.
Customs, packing and contract terms
Indicative terms for green tea. Tariff classification is the importer’s responsibility and limits change, so confirm both against the destination customs authority and the current regulation before you fix a contract.
- HS heading0902.10 Green tea, not fermented, immediate packings of 3 kg or less
0902.20 Green tea, not fermented, other - PackingTea in foil lined paper sacks, plywood chests or corrugated cartons of 20 kg to 60 kg. Green coffee in 60 kg or 69 kg jute bags, or 1 t bulk container liners with GrainPro or equivalent barrier for specialty lots. Cocoa in 62.5 kg or 65 kg jute bags.
- Container loading20ft: 18 t to 21 t bagged. 40ft: 24 t to 26 t with a bulk liner. Coffee and cocoa are weight limited, tea is volume limited.
- Contract and arbitrationCoffee on the European Coffee Contract or GCA terms with ICE Futures US as the price reference, arbitration under ECF or GCA rules. Cocoa on Federation of Cocoa Commerce or CMAA contracts with FCC arbitration in London. Tea on the rules of the selling auction centre or on the terms of the importing association.
- Destination limitsEU pesticide MRLs under Regulation 396/2005, where anthraquinone and glyphosate are the recurring tea failures. Ochratoxin A and aflatoxin limits and cadmium limits on cocoa under Regulation 2023/915. EUDR (Regulation 2023/1115) due diligence with plot geolocation applies to cocoa and coffee. US FDA import alerts apply to pesticide residues and to mould.
Common questions
What grades of green tea does SIP Global trade?
We quote 23 published grades of green tea, including Steamed - Japanese manufacture, Pan fired - Chinese wok manufacture, Drum roasted - Mechanised pan firing, Baked - Oven fixing, Gyokuro - Shaded leaf and Sencha - Unshaded first and second flush leaf. Every grade is tied to a delivery point and a settlement route. Grades outside the published list are priced on request.
How is green tea graded?
Green tea is graded on the fixing method, the plucking standard and the manufactured leaf style, and is specified chemically against ISO 11287. Grading runs on 4 systems: Fixing method, Japanese leaf style, Chinese leaf style and Chemical requirements.
Where does SIP Global trade green tea?
We trade green tea in China, Japan, Vietnam, India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, South Korea and Taiwan and 16 further markets. Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown.
When is green tea harvested and when does it arrive?
Typical windows are Japan: harvest apr to sep, arrival jun to nov; China: harvest mar to sep, arrival jun to dec; Vietnam: harvest mar to nov, arrival may to jan; South Korea: harvest apr to aug, arrival jun to oct; India: harvest mar to oct, arrival jun to dec. Harvest is when the lot is taken at origin, arrival is when a shipment from that origin lands in a consuming market. Windows outside this pattern, including carry, trade on request.
What is the HS code for green tea?
Green tea is normally classified under HS 0902.10 (green tea, not fermented, immediate packings of 3 kg or less) and HS 0902.20 (green tea, not fermented, other). The heading follows the form the goods are in at the border, and national tariffs extend it beyond six digits, so confirm the full line with the destination customs authority before you fix a contract.
How do I get a price for green tea?
Send the grade, the origin and the delivery window to the SIP Global desk. That is enough for a trader to come back with a level and a settlement route. 1 listed green tea market is published on this page, each with its full specification and terms. We take both sides, physical and financial, prompt to long dated.
Standards and data sources
The grading language on this sheet follows published standards. Trade volumes and tariff lines are public record. Verify anything here against the source.
- ISOInternational Organization for Standardization
- UN ComtradeOfficial international trade statistics by HS code
- ITC Trade MapBilateral trade flows and tariff data
- FAOSTATFAO production and trade series for agricultural commodities
Price this with our desk
Grade, origin and window if you have them. If what you are carrying does not fit the sheet above, describe it in your own words and a trader will take it from there.