随意ずいい契約けいやくの備蓄びちく米まい“来月らいげつ以降いこうも小売こうり業者ぎょうしゃの販売はんばい認みとめる”小泉こいずみ農相のうしょう

Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Koizumi officially announced that the sale of reserve rice, which had been under a discretionary contract and was facing a sales deadline at the end of August, will be allowed to continue to be sold by retailers even after September.

Consumers will still have the option to buy rice at a lower price.

Regarding the stockpiled rice under the discretionary contract, the condition was that retailers who purchased it had to sell it all by the end of August.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, due to delays in shipments from warehouses and other factors, 100,000 tons out of the 320,000 tons contracted excluding the 40,000 tons that were canceled have still not been shipped by the 20th, which was the deadline for retailers to pick them up.

Regarding this, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Koizumi stated to reporters on the morning of the 20th, Considering the circumstances that led to the delay in the delivery of reserve rice, it is the responsibility of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to distribute the contracted amount as promised, and officially announced that retailers will be allowed to continue selling the rice after September.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries plans to confirm with the contracted companies whether they wish to cancel the undelivered stockpiled rice, and if they wish to proceed, shipments will continue.

After delivery, sales are required within one month, so consumers will still have the option to buy reasonably priced rice at around 2,000 yen for 5 kilograms.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has also decided to establish a new panel within the ministry, consisting of industry representatives and experts, to discuss how to handle the release of stockpiled rice in the future, in response to the recent delays in shipping stockpiled rice.