スーパーの米こめ平均へいきん価格かかく 5ごキロ4246よんひゃくにじゅうよん円えん 3さん週しゅう連続れんぞくで4000よんせん円えん超こえる

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the average price of rice sold at supermarkets nationwide during the one-week period up to the 21st of this month was 4,246 yen including tax per 5 kilograms.

Although the price dropped by 29 yen from the previous week, it has remained above 4,000 yen for three consecutive weeks.

Experts familiar with rice production and distribution say, There is a very strong possibility that prices exceeding 4,000 yen for 5 kilograms will continue throughout this year.

I have summarized the developments regarding rice on the 26th.

At a rice shop in Yokohama, they handle about 150 brands of rice from all over Japan, from Hokkaido to Okinawa, and this year they started selling newly harvested rice around July.

In addition, in previous years, the selling price varied depending on the rices production area, brand, and shipping period, but this year, it is said that those differences have disappeared.

Of these, Chiba Prefectures Koshihikari rice used to sell for about 600 yen per kilogram in a typical year, and Uonuma, Niigata Prefectures Koshibuki for about 800 yen, but this year, both are reportedly selling for around 1,300 yen.

Due to the fact that rice, which had been relatively affordable, has become more expensive, the number of customers and the sales volume have decreased by about 30% compared to last year.

It is said that there are cases where customers who used to buy in 5-kilogram units are now buying less, so the store believes that consumers may be refraining from making purchases.

For this reason, they are racking their brains trying to keep customers by sharing information on social media about limited-time deals to buy rice at a lower price.

The price of Koshihikari rice produced within the prefecture is 3,990 yen excluding tax per 5 kilograms, which is about the same level as the recent in-store price of rice harvested in 2024, around 4,000 yen excluding tax.

A shopper in their 60s from Nagano City said, I ate some of my stockpiled rice, but I thought I’d prefer the new harvest after all, so I bought it.

Ive gotten used to the high prices, but I hope they go down if possible, they said.

This company collects rice such as Hitomebore and Sasanishiki from about 100 farms in the northern part of Miyagi Prefecture, and every year around this time, they start selling the new rice at their own stores and through online shopping.

This year, they said what troubled them the most when selling the new rice was deciding what price to set.

Competition among traders to collect rice has intensified, and the purchase price from farmers is rising. However, we thought that if we passed these costs on to the selling price, it might affect sales.

In Miyagi Prefecture, JA Zen-Noh Miyagi has raised the standard for the provisional payment made to farmers for the main variety, Hitomebore, to 31,000 yen per 60 kilograms—over 40% higher than for the 2024 crop.

Based on these factors, this company has decided to raise the selling price of newly harvested rice by about 40% to 50% compared to last year, after considering price trends and sales movements in other regions.

He said, Since the purchase price is already set due to the increase in the provisional payment that JA pays to producers and the intensifying competition for collection, there is every possibility that prices exceeding 4,000 yen per 5 kilograms will continue for the next year.

Regarding the impact of higher prices, If prices rise this much, there is a possibility that people will seriously start turning away from rice.

Isnt it possible that not only for commercial use but also for household rice, there will be a shift from domestically produced rice to imported rice?

He pointed out, For retailers, I think the volume zone with strong demand is rice priced in the 3,000 yen range for 5 kilograms, so if that is not available domestically, they will likely import it from overseas.

On top of that, If foreign rice comes in, the demand for domestically produced rice will keep decreasing.

If that happens, rice cultivation in Japan will start to decline, and it could become a serious issue affecting not only the further drop in self-sufficiency but also food security.

I want to pay attention to what the government will do from now on to minimize the shift away from domestically produced rice, he said.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the average price of rice sold at supermarkets nationwide was 4,275 yen per 5 kilograms including tax in the week up to the 14th of this month, which is close to the highest price of 4,285 yen recorded in mid-May this year.

At a press conference after the Cabinet meeting, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Koizumi stated, We are seeing situations where prices are starting to rise, partly due to the arrival of new rice on the market, and I believe we are in a transitional period.

On top of that, regarding the next year, it is expected that the production of rice for staple food will exceed demand. He said, Some businesses are worried about a possible rice shortage, but I would like them to respond calmly after carefully looking at this data.