The government is considering measures to prompt Japanese green tea farmers to shift more production to "tencha" leaves that can be ground into matcha powder, from "sencha," commonly consumed in Japan, to boost tea exports, according to farm ministry sources.It seeks to capitalize on the booming market abroad for matcha, often used in desserts and drinks, to make up for falling green tea consumption at home.Tencha is made by steaming and drying tea leaves grown in the shade, which are then processed into a fine powder when producing matcha. Sencha, by contrast, is made by steaming, kneading…READ FULL ARTICLE
