A lot of our customers are currently wondering what is happening to the premium green teas from Japan. To be honest – nobody REALLY knows. But we would like to share with you what happens at this point in time at the supplier’s end. One of the essential steps the suppliers of our premium Japanese green tea are taking is the testing of teas from last year’s harvest for any traces of radiation. This establishes the baseline. The teas that are harvested in 2011 will be compared with those tests. Without these tests, the teas will not go on the market.
Normally the harvest of the first tea takes place at the end of March/early April. I am sure that the farmers and refiners in Japan have a tough year ahead of them. After all, even if they are able to sell the teas, they will incur additional expenses for testing and will have to convince customers once again of the quality of their tea. Let’s hope for the best. As my friend Tomo put it Gambare, don’t give up! She does have an English blog – check it out at: http://japaneseteastory.blogspot.com
Any food products that are allowed entry into Canada need to show proof that the product has been tested for radiation and fall within normal levels. If you are interested in more detail, you can find information at the Food Inspection Agency at http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/imp/earterqueste.shtml. We will update this blog as information becomes available.
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