Guizhou unveils industry standards for matcha and tencha production

The industry standards are expected to fuel development across Guizhou's matcha and tencha sectors. [Photo/ddcpc website]

A series of group standards for matcha and tencha, released at the 2026 Matcha Conference in Southwest China's Guizhou province on May 31, will provide technical support for the high-quality development of Tongren's matcha sector and Guizhou's tencha sector, boosting the core competitiveness of Guizhou's tea industry.

Grounded in the practical development of the region's tea sector, this framework establishes a full-chain standard system across four core dimensions:

Standardized tea cultivation: Regulates the selection of tea tree varieties best suited for tencha and matcha processing, as well as planting environments and cultivation techniques, to lay a solid foundation for raw material quality.

Standardized tea garden management: Defines critical technical stages, including the use of agricultural inputs, eco-friendly pest control, and soil fertility management, to guarantee ecological safety and product quality.

Standardized tea processing: Harmonizes production workflows, critical control points, and product quality indicators to ensure product stability and consistency.

Standardized sensory evaluation: Establishes a scientific, standardized system for sensory quality assessment, providing a technical baseline for product grading and market distribution.

This series of group standards features technical benchmarks that exceed general industry requirements, reflecting the premium trajectory of Guizhou's tencha and matcha sectors. The framework also integrates real-world production data from local enterprises to ensure seamless implementation. As a comprehensive system, it supplements and refines Guizhou's tea industry, covering the entire supply chain from the tea garden to the teacup.