Matcha
Matcha is powdered green tea made from tencha. The tea plants are shaded from direct sunlight for roughly three to four weeks before plucking, which raises the amino acid content of the leaf and lowers the bitterness that sunlight develops. The plucked leaf is steamed, dried without rolling, and the stem and vein are blown and cut away, leaving the leaf flesh, which is tencha. Tencha is then milled to a powder. Because the whole leaf is consumed rather than infused and discarded, matcha delivers the leaf entire, which is why particle fineness, colour and the absence of stem matter so much. It is used in the tea ceremony, in cafe drinks, and as an ingredient in confectionery, ice cream and beverages. Japan is the reference origin, with China, Taiwan, Korea and Vietnam supplying volume ingredient grades.
Listed matcha markets
Each line is a grade at a delivery point. Open one for its full specification and terms.
Grades
Matcha is graded on shading duration, the tencha it is milled from, the milling method and the resulting particle fineness in microns, together with colour measurement and stem content.
Cultivation and raw material
6 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Shading daysNumber of days under cover | Days the field was shaded before plucking. Longer shading raises theanine and chlorophyll and lowers catechin driven astringency. Stated as a number, not a rank. |
| Shading methodTana or jikagise | Tana is a raised canopy over the field, jikagise is cover laid directly on the bush. Declared on the contract. |
| Plucking roundIchibancha, nibancha, sanbancha | First, second or third plucking of the year. Declared, along with the plucking date. |
| Raw materialTencha or other | True matcha is milled from tencha, which is steamed and dried without rolling and has had stem and vein removed. Powder milled from sencha or from other leaf is a different product and must be declared as such. |
| Stem and vein contentPercentage by mass | Residual kukicha stem and leaf vein left after winnowing and cutting. Raises bitterness and dulls colour. |
| CultivarDeclared variety | Named cultivar such as Samidori, Okumidori, Asahi, Yabukita or Gokou, or a stated blend of them. |
Milling and particle size
6 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Stone milledGranite mill | Milled on a slow turning granite mill. Low milling temperature preserves aroma. Throughput is low, typically measured in tens of grams per hour per mill. |
| Ball milled or jet milledMechanical milling | Higher throughput mechanical milling used for ingredient volumes. Declared on the contract. |
| Mean particle sizeMicrons | The average particle diameter of the milled powder, reported by laser diffraction. |
| D90 particle sizeMicrons | The diameter below which ninety per cent of the particle volume falls. The practical measure of whether the powder will feel gritty. |
| Ceremonial milling rangeApproximately 5 to 10 microns | The fineness expected of matcha milled for whisking and drinking on its own. |
| Ingredient milling rangeApproximately 10 to 30 microns | Coarser milling accepted where the powder is blended into milk, batter or ice cream. |
Colour and composition
7 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Colour, L a bCIELAB coordinates | Instrumental colour measurement. The a value, running negative for green, is the working number. A powder trending toward positive a is yellowing from oxidation, age or under shading. |
| Total nitrogenPercentage by mass | Tracks the amino acid content built by shading and correlates with the umami character the buyer is paying for. |
| TheaninePercentage by mass | The dominant amino acid in shaded leaf. |
| Total catechinsPercentage by mass | The astringent fraction, suppressed by shading. |
| CaffeinePercentage by mass | Declared for beverage formulation. |
| MoistureMaximum percentage by mass | Matcha is hygroscopic and clumps and fades as it takes up water. The contract sets a low ceiling. |
| Total ashPercentage by mass | The mineral residue, a check against dilution with non leaf material. |
Packing and integrity
5 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen flushedModified atmosphere | Packed under nitrogen to displace oxygen. Standard for drinking grades. |
| Light barrier packagingOpaque laminate or tin | Chlorophyll degrades under light. The pack is specified opaque. |
| Cold chainDegrees Celsius | Storage and shipment temperature, stated on the contract for drinking grades. |
| Milling to shipment intervalDays | Matcha is milled to order for drinking grades. The contract states the maximum days between milling and dispatch. |
| Radiation and residue certificatesOrigin documentation | Japanese origin lots ship with the certificates the destination market requires. |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Japan | East Asia | Origin |
| China | East Asia | Origin and destination |
| Taiwan | East Asia | Origin and destination |
| South Korea | East Asia | Origin and destination |
| Vietnam | Southeast Asia | Origin |
| United States | North America | Destination |
| Germany | Europe | Destination |
| France | Europe | Destination |
| United Kingdom | Europe | Destination |
| Netherlands | Europe | Destination |
| Canada | North America | Destination |
| Australia | Oceania | Destination |
| Singapore | Southeast Asia | Destination |
| United Arab Emirates | Middle East | Destination |
| Thailand | Southeast Asia | Destination |
| Indonesia | Southeast Asia | Destination |
| Malaysia | Southeast Asia | Destination |
| Poland | Europe | Destination |
| Italy | Europe | Destination |
| Spain | Europe | Destination |
| Switzerland | Europe | Destination |
| Brazil | South 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 | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Apr to Aug, arrival Jun to DecTencha first plucking from late April in Kagoshima and through May in Uji, Nishio and Fukuoka. Milled to order through the year from stored tencha. | |||
| China | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Mar to Sep, arrival May to DecSpring plucking from March, with milling running through the year. | ||
| Taiwan | Harvest | Harvest | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Apr to Oct, arrival Jun to DecSpring and autumn pluckings. | ||||
| South Korea | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Apr to Jun, arrival Jun to SepJeju and Hadong plucking from late April. | ||||||
| Vietnam | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Mar to Oct, arrival May to DecNorthern highland plucking from March through October, largely ingredient grades. |
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 matcha. 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 matcha does SIP Global trade?
We quote 24 published grades of matcha, including Shading days - Number of days under cover, Shading method - Tana or jikagise, Plucking round - Ichibancha, nibancha, sanbancha, Raw material - Tencha or other, Stem and vein content - Percentage by mass and Cultivar - Declared variety. Every grade is tied to a delivery point and a settlement route. Grades outside the published list are priced on request.
How is matcha graded?
Matcha is graded on shading duration, the tencha it is milled from, the milling method and the resulting particle fineness in microns, together with colour measurement and stem content. Grading runs on 4 systems: Cultivation and raw material, Milling and particle size, Colour and composition and Packing and integrity.
Where does SIP Global trade matcha?
We trade matcha in Japan, China, Taiwan, South Korea, Vietnam, United States, Germany and France and 14 further markets. Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown.
When is matcha harvested and when does it arrive?
Typical windows are Japan: harvest apr to aug, arrival jun to dec; China: harvest mar to sep, arrival may to dec; Taiwan: harvest apr to oct, arrival jun to dec; South Korea: harvest apr to jun, arrival jun to sep; Vietnam: harvest mar to oct, arrival may 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 matcha?
Matcha 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 matcha?
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 matcha 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.
- 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.