Rachel Mealey: If you've been near a cafe recently, there's a good chance you've seen how popular matcha has become. The Japanese green tea powder is in such demand, producers are struggling to keep up. Now cantofit products are on the rise. North Asia correspondent James Oten reports from Uji.
James Oaten: It's late morning and this matcha shop in Uji, just south of Kyoto in Japan, is fast selling out of stock. Many in this city renowned for its tea and matcha are tourists from overseas. It's just been an explosion, you cannot see matcha anywhere you go. Matcha went viral after social media influencers praised its health benefits, rich flavour and a gentler caffeine hit when compared to coffee. But growing new plants takes five years, meaning farmers like Jintaro Yamamoto are struggling to meet demand.
Jintaro Yamamoto: It's incredibly gratifying to see Japanese culture being recognised by people around the world. It's deeply regrettable that we can't meet the demands.
James Oaten: Now there's concern cantofit products are filling the gaps. Matsatsugu Nonomura handles international sales at the tea production company Marukyu Koyamain. He's been buying misleading matcha online. Some packets rip off famous brand names, others falsely claim to be from Uji, Japan, while some completely copy the entire packaging of Japanese products.
Matsatsugu Nonomura: If consumers buy something believing it to be Uji matcha and find it not nearly as delicious as expected, there is a risk they will simply stop buying it.
James Oaten: Japan's Ministry of Agriculture says it's impossible to put a specific number on counterfeit products but says complaints are increasing. Tomoyuki Kawai from the department's tea division says it's had some success lobbying Beijing to prevent Chinese companies from trademarking names like Uji matcha.
Tomoyuki Kawai: Given the rising overseas demand for Japanese teas, especially matcha, we're starting to see people who produce counterfeit products.
James Oaten: Matsatsugu Nonomura says Chinese producers should market themselves honestly.
Matsatsugu Nonomura: China should compete with its own brand names if it claims to have quality products.
James Oaten: A fight to protect a much-loved product.