Japan aims to prevent rice shortage with plan to increase exports eightfold

Japan wants to sharply increase rice exports by 2030 as part of a plan to stabilize supplies, an agriculture ministry official said.

Japan aims to export 350,000 tons of rice by 2030, nearly eight times the 2024 export volume of 45,000 tons - worth 12 billion yen ($81 million), Japanese agriculture ministry official Kawaguchi Masakazu told AFP on March 13.

The target could be approved by the cabinet in March, Masakazu said, as part of Japan's national policy to boost rice exports and efforts to improve rice farming capacity.

Rice consumption in Japan has halved over the past 60 years, partly because the diet now includes other sources of starch, such as bread and noodles. As demand has fallen, farmers have cut back on cultivation, leading to shortages when demand suddenly increases. The Japanese government 's goal of increasing exports is to maintain stable production and quickly support domestic demand.

Officials inspect heat-resistant rice varieties in Saitama Prefecture, Japan in 2024.

Rice supplies in Japan are in short supply, due to a combination of factors including crop failures due to hot weather and panic buying following last year’s mega-earthquake. Some businesses are also believed to be holding onto stocks in anticipation of the right time. This week, the Japanese government auctioned off its emergency rice reserves, a rare event in the country, in an effort to bring down prices that have doubled in the past year.

According to the Asahi newspaper, rice exports currently account for less than 1% of Japan’s total rice production. If exports reach 350,000 tons, it would be equivalent to 5% of current production. As demand for rice as a food source declines, the government is encouraging farmers to grow rice for animal feed, export or other uses other than as a staple food.

Japanese rice is often more expensive than other countries due to high production costs. The Japanese government is also looking for solutions to reduce costs by expanding cultivated land, developing smart products and farming methods, and improving rice varieties to increase productivity.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nhat-ban-muon-ngan-thieu-gao-bang-ke-hoach-tang-xuat-khau-gap-8-lan-185250313104856448.htm