Latest news with #Calrose
Nikkei Asia
27-06-2025
- Business
- Nikkei Asia
Japan's May rice imports surge as companies shrug off heavy tariff
Japanese retailer Aeon is offering California-grown Calrose rice in its stores. (Photo by Marina Inoue) KOSUKE TAKEUCHI TOKYO -- Rice imports by Japanese companies shot up in May, government trade data shows, as retailers and restaurants try to cope with elevated domestic prices. Imports of rice for consumption, which are subject to a high tariff, exceeded 10,000 metric tons for the first time. The May figure was 126 times greater than the monthly average in 2024.
Asahi Shimbun
03-06-2025
- Business
- Asahi Shimbun
Private sector continues to import record amounts of rice
Major supermarket chain Aeon started selling 100 percent Calrose rice from the United States in May. The photo was taken in Tokyo's Minato Ward on May 13. (Asahi Shimbun file photo) Not only is Japan eating more rice grown overseas, the Finance Ministry reported the private sector imported a record 3,000 tons in fiscal 2024 to combat the shortage at home and ballooning prices of domestic harvests. This record noted in the trade statistics report released by the ministry's Customs and Tariff Bureau marked an all-time-high since fiscal 2000 when data was first recorded. It has also already been eclipsed by this fiscal year's still-growing totals. Rice imports reached about 6,800 tons in April alone, more than double the private sector's total imports of 3,011 tons during fiscal 2024. Most was sourced from the United States. Comparatively, the government can currently import about 770,000 tons of rice annually without being subject to tariffs under the World Trade Organization's "minimum access" system. Private sector buyers have access to 100,000 of the 770,000 tons to consume as a staple food. If private companies import outside this framework, a tariff of 341 yen ($2.38) per kilogram is imposed. Recently, imports outside the quota have increased significantly. The Asahi Shimbun's calculations based on the statistics from the Finance Ministry show the private sector imported about 730 tons of rice in fiscal 2023. This shot up to 3,011 tons in fiscal 2024. Zooming in, about 1,300 tons of rice were imported this March followed by 6,838 tons in April—around 80 times more than last year's average monthly totals. About 80 percent of April's imports were from the United States, followed by India, Thailand and Vietnam. While this amount is still insignificant when factoring in that the total domestic demand for the staple is about 7 million tons, having the option to buy rice grown abroad may still be attractive to some consumers. Even with tariffs, it is more affordable than the soaring prices of domestic brands. According to the farm ministry, the latest average cost for a 5-kilogram bag of rice is 4,260 yen including tax while Calrose rice from the U.S. goes for about 300 yen less. Kazunuki Oizumi, a professor emeritus at Miyagi University who specializes in agricultural management, believes the government should push to turn Japanese rice into a viable export to remain competitive. 'Rice is the only staple food that Japan can domestically supply to meet its demand,' he said. 'Therefore, the government should develop the rice industry to enter overseas markets through expanding the scale of production and technological innovations.' Oizumi went on to say that the recent increase in imports 'reflects the government's failure in agricultural policy, which kept rice prices high. The country is at a crossroads regarding food security, facing a choice between relying on imports or domestic production.' (This article was written by Roku Goda and Nobufumi Yamada.)
The Mainichi
30-05-2025
- Business
- The Mainichi
'American and Japanese rice farmers can join forces': US ambassador says on exports
TOKYO -- U.S. Ambassador to Japan George Glass, who assumed his position in April, contributed an opinion piece to the Mainichi Shimbun regarding exports of U.S. rice, stating, "American and Japanese rice farmers can join forces to bring relief to Japanese households." Below is the full text. * * * Rice: Easing the Burden on Japanese Consumers By U.S. Ambassador to Japan George Glass My first few weeks in Japan as the U.S. Ambassador have reinforced for me the indispensable role of rice in the national diet. Whether it's part of a lunch bento, a sushi dinner, or an onigiri on the go, rice is eaten at least once a day by most Japanese. So, when the price of that staple increases drastically, every consumer and family is impacted. With a standard 5-kilogram bag of rice now twice as much as it was a year ago, Japanese consumers are having to make hard choices about what they buy and what they eat each day. Since food represents the largest share of monthly spending for Japanese households, the current rice situation is, naturally, causing concern across the country. Americans understand what it feels like when the price of a staple food skyrockets. Last year, the United States faced its own crisis when a bird flu outbreak led to a dramatic surge in egg prices. To help mitigate a shortage, the U.S. government looked for a solution overseas, temporarily sourcing eggs from producers as far away as South Korea and Turkey. Within a remarkably short period, egg supplies stabilized and prices returned to near-normal levels. It was bold and unconventional thinking that averted an even worse situation for American consumers. In contrast, the Japanese public has endured months of rising rice prices. Even the release of emergency stockpiles has failed to ease the burden for the average consumer. Unfortunately, a combination of restrictive domestic production policies, a deficient distribution system, and protectionism have hampered the government's ability to provide immediate relief to Japanese consumers and their strained household budgets. Amid the ongoing difficulties, retailers are doing their best to meet consumer demand. Japan's largest supermarket chain, Aeon, for example, will offer premium California-grown Calrose rice at stores across Japan from June 6. Earlier this month, I hosted an event at the Ambassador's Residence in Tokyo to launch Aeon's new product and commended the retailer for providing its customers with another rice option to help them manage their weekly grocery costs. While many Japanese may not immediately associate rice with America, it has been grown in California for more than a century. Initially using methods learned from Japanese growers, farmers in California now produce high-grade rice varieties that meet the exacting standards of the Japanese market. Getting their Calrose rice on supermarket shelves in Japan, however, can be a bigger challenge. The California farmers receive around $670 (approx. 97,000 yen) per ton for their rice, which is a fair market price. But, by the time the same rice reaches the kitchen of a Japanese family, its price has ballooned to around $5,500 (roughly 800,000 yen) per ton. Multiple charges and costs applied once the rice arrives in Japan add an extra 3,500 yen to a 5-kilogram bag. It's an arrangement with no tangible benefit for the Japanese consumer. Japan's rice challenge has highlighted the urgent need for a trading system that is flexible and responsive to market needs. Reform doesn't mean undermining the livelihoods of Japanese farmers, either. As somebody with roots in farming in my home state of Oregon, I understand the essential role our agricultural sector plays in our economies and communities. I also know what it's like to wake up before dawn and spend all day, whatever the weather, tending to livestock or crops. It's hard work that requires determination and adaptability. Like Japanese farmers, American farmers are proud and dedicated stewards of the land they cultivate and the animals they raise. And just as they deserve to be paid fairly for what they produce, consumers deserve to pay a fair price for it. As last year's egg challenges in the U.S. showed, when a nation's food security is at stake, it takes resourcefulness, ingenuity, and even help from your friends to ensure supply chains are secure and supermarket shelves are stocked. The United States and Japan have a long history of helping each other in times of adversity, just as our two countries have worked together for decades to preserve peace and deliver development to nations across the world. Now, in another example of what we can accomplish as friends and partners, American and Japanese rice farmers can join forces to bring relief to Japanese households.
The Mainichi
29-05-2025
- Business
- The Mainichi
グラス駐日米大使「日米コメ農家は友人として協力できる」 英文全文
4月に着任したジョージ・グラス駐日米大使が、米国のコメ輸出に関する見解を毎日新聞に寄稿した。 英文全文は以下の通り Rice: Easing the Burden on Japanese Consumers U.S. Ambassador to Japan George Glass My first few weeks in Japan as the U.S. Ambassador have reinforced for me the indispensable role of rice in the national diet. Whether it's part of a lunch bento, a sushi dinner, or an onigiri on the go, rice is eaten at least once a day by most Japanese. So, when the price of that staple increases drastically, every consumer and family is impacted. With a standard 5-kilogram bag of rice now twice as much as it was a year ago, Japanese consumers are having to make hard choices about what they buy and what they eat each day. Since food represents the largest share of monthly spending for Japanese households, the current rice situation is, naturally, causing concern across the country. Americans understand what it feels like when the price of a staple food skyrockets. Last year, the United States faced its own crisis when a bird flu outbreak led to a dramatic surge in egg prices. To help mitigate a shortage, the U.S. government looked for a solution overseas, temporarily sourcing eggs from producers as far away as South Korea and Turkey. Within a remarkably short period, egg supplies stabilized and prices returned to near-normal levels. It was bold and unconventional thinking that averted an even worse situation for American consumers. In contrast, the Japanese public has endured months of rising rice prices. Even the release of emergency stockpiles has failed to ease the burden for the average consumer. Unfortunately, a combination of restrictive domestic production policies, a deficient distribution system, and protectionism have hampered the government's ability to provide immediate relief to Japanese consumers and their strained household budgets. Amid the ongoing difficulties, retailers are doing their best to meet consumer demand. Japan's largest supermarket chain, Aeon, for example, will offer premium California-grown Calrose rice at stores across Japan from June 6. Earlier this month, I hosted an event at the Ambassador's Residence in Tokyo to launch Aeon's new product and commended the retailer for providing its customers with another rice option to help them manage their weekly grocery costs. While many Japanese may not immediately associate rice with America, it has been grown in California for more than a century. Initially using methods learned from Japanese growers, farmers in California now produce high-grade rice varieties that meet the exacting standards of the Japanese market. Getting their Calrose rice on supermarket shelves in Japan, however, can be a bigger challenge. The California farmers receive around $670 (¥97,000) per ton for their rice, which is a fair market price. But, by the time the same rice reaches the kitchen of a Japanese family, its price has ballooned to around $5,500 (¥800,000) per ton. Multiple charges and costs applied once the rice arrives in Japan add an extra ¥3,500 to a 5-kilogram bag. It's an arrangement with no tangible benefit for the Japanese consumer. Japan's rice challenge has highlighted the urgent need for a trading system that is flexible and responsive to market needs. Reform doesn't mean undermining the livelihoods of Japanese farmers, either. As somebody with roots in farming in my home state of Oregon, I understand the essential role our agricultural sector plays in our economies and communities. I also know what it's like to wake up before dawn and spend all day, whatever the weather, tending to livestock or crops. It's hard work that requires determination and adaptability. Like Japanese farmers, American farmers are proud and dedicated stewards of the land they cultivate and the animals they raise. And just as they deserve to be paid fairly for what they produce, consumers deserve to pay a fair price for it. As last year's egg challenges in the U.S. showed, when a nation's food security is at stake, it takes resourcefulness, ingenuity, and even help from your friends to ensure supply chains are secure and supermarket shelves are stocked. The United States and Japan have a long history of helping each other in times of adversity, just as our two countries have worked together for decades to preserve peace and deliver development to nations across the world. Now, in another example of what we can accomplish as friends and partners, American and Japanese rice farmers can join forces to bring relief to Japanese households.
Asahi Shimbun
29-05-2025
- Business
- Asahi Shimbun
Japan-grown or imported? Four bowls, four varieties of rice
Reporters tasted four types of rice in Hiroshima on May 27. (Satoru Aikawa) As imported rice becomes a popular alternative to Japanese mainstays whose prices continue to rise, it begs the question—do these overseas varieties taste different from what households are used to? Before the flavor assessment, cost efficiency still appears to be the biggest difference consumers care about most. Imported rice continues to sell well despite its cost also creeping higher as demand shifts. An Asahi Shimbun reporter who visited local supermarket chain Fresta's Yokokawa store in Hiroshima observed a wide selection of domestically produced rice at around 5,000 yen ($32) for a 5-kilogram bag. Comparatively, the 5-kg bags of the government's stockpiled rice blended with different harvests were priced at 3,480 yen, excluding tax, and 4-kg bags of Taiwanese rice cost 3,180 yen. Both were out of stock. The amount of stockpiled rice that had made it to the store was so small that it sold out a few days after being put on shelves. The Taiwanese rice sold out after about a week, and other retailers reported they had sold out of their stock from Taiwan and rice imported from the United States. However, do these alternatives taste the same as brands grown domestically? Eight Asahi Shimbun reporters compared several types of rice sold at supermarkets. Served at the blind taste test were Taiwanese; American (specifically, the Calrose variety); Japanese 'Koshihikari" from Hiroshima Prefecture; and a bag of the government's blended stockpile. Excluding tax, comparing them by price per kilogram resulted in the blended rice at 718 yen being the most affordable option. It was followed by 795 yen for American rice, 823 yen for Taiwanese rice and 1,140 yen for Koshihikari. All the rice was indistinguishable in terms of appearance and aroma once cooked. The reporters said all tasted good overall, with two of the eight taste testers mistaking foreign varieties for Japanese ones. One 22-year-old reporter noted the Calrose rice was less sticky and grains separated more easily compared to the bowl of Taiwanese rice, which was stickier and sweeter. He didn't notice the difference between the government rice reserves and this year's Japanese rice brand harvest that he usually has at home. Nothing tasted off so in the end he couldn't assign specific rankings. Another reporter, 43, believed her favorite of the bunch was Koshihikari, but it turned out to be Calrose. The same occurred for a 23-year-old reporter who mistook Taiwanese rice as domestically grown when picking which bowl tasted best, saying "I think this is the Japanese rice because it is chewy and sweet." Six of the eight reporters correctly identified the Japanese rice from the samples, with one keen-eyed participant saying the grains in the imported rice served varied in size. Another 24-year-old reporter was even able to guess all four types. 'All tasted good. But the Calrose rice had low moisture and sweetness, and the Taiwanese rice was similar. In comparison, the Koshihikari brand rice was softer than what I usually eat at home,' she said. DISH PAIRINGS & PREPARATION Rie Shibuya, 47, a rice retailer who has the "five-star rice meister" certification in evaluating the ancient staple, recommends taking advantage of each type's characteristics. She said that Calrose's light flavor is good for curry or beef bowls, while Taiwanese rice's stronger flavor pairs better with oilier dishes. 'Due to the soaring Japanese rice prices, rice from various places is available at supermarkets. I hope people take this opportunity and enjoy the difference by using them in the most suitable ways,' Shibuya said. Shoji Sowa, 45, an employee at food processing equipment manufacturer Satake Corp. based in Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima Prefecture, shared tips for preparing the four types. 'When cooking Taiwanese rice, use 1.2 times as much water as you would for Japanese rice," said Sowa. "For Calrose rice, use 1.5 times as much water. Then, they will taste more similar to Japanese brands.' LASTING COMPETITION? According to the announcement from the farm ministry made on May 26, rice retail prices at about 1,000 supermarkets nationwide between May 12 and 18 for 5-kilogram bags were 4,285 yen on average, including tax. These bags cost double that of what was sold during the same season of the previous year. While prices are expected to fall thanks to the government-retailer contracts that allow for direct sale of rice reserves, some groups still worry consumers are moving away from domestically grown rice for good. Among them is the National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations. "We've never seen this much stock of imported rice brands put on supermarket shelves," said an official of JA Zen-Noh Hiroshima. 'We are concerned that customers will turn away from domestic rice and choose imported options in the future.' A rice farmer in Sera, Hiroshima Prefecture, believes excellence is the solution, saying, "We must develop rice with significantly superior qualities compared to overseas products, ensuring consumers will choose ours even if it costs more.'
