China Opens Reserve Rice Purchases to Food Delivery School Lunch Providers

作者智能小编

6 月 19, 2025 #NHK日本-国际

新闻报道

Tokyo, June 19, 2024 – In a move aimed at curbing rising rice prices, Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) announced plans to expand the availability of its reserve rice supply to include businesses in the takeout food, restaurant, and school lunch sectors. Applications for the program will be accepted starting June 20th.

This decision comes as MAFF seeks to accelerate the sale of approximately 120,000 tons of 2021-produced reserve rice through non-competitive, negotiated contracts. As of June 18th, 88 business entities had already been approved to purchase over 32,000 tons of the reserve rice.

Speaking to reporters on June 18th, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Shinjiro Koizumi stated, The application volume has not yet reached the upper limit, and opening up the reserve rice will not increase the amount by tens of thousands of tons. When discussing how to stabilize prices, we considered the demand from the prepared food takeout, restaurant industry, and school lunches, so we decided to include them in the sales target.

The expansion of the program aims to increase the circulation of reserve rice in the market, potentially driving down overall rice prices, which have been on the rise. The effectiveness of this measure in achieving significant price reductions remains to be seen.

Background:

The Japanese government maintains a reserve rice system as a buffer against potential shortages and price fluctuations. This system involves purchasing and storing rice during periods of surplus and releasing it during times of scarcity or high prices.

Analysis:

The decision to include takeout, restaurant, and school lunch providers in the reserve rice program reflects the government’s concern over rising food costs and its commitment to ensuring stable rice supplies for consumers. These sectors represent a significant portion of rice consumption in Japan, and their inclusion in the program could have a noticeable impact on market prices.

However, the program’s success will depend on several factors, including the actual volume of rice purchased by these businesses, the overall market demand for rice, and the effectiveness of the distribution channels.

Looking Ahead:

The MAFF’s initiative is a welcome step towards addressing the issue of rising rice prices in Japan. It remains to be seen whether this measure will be sufficient to achieve the desired price stability, but it demonstrates the government’s willingness to take action to protect consumers and support the food industry.

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