Japan's smaller retailers start applying for stockpiled rice
Japan's agriculture ministry has begun accepting applications from small and mid-sized retailers to buy government-stockpiled rice.
A total of 80,000 tons harvested in 2021 are up for sale through no-bid contracts.
The ministry says 60,000 tons are available to the small and mid-sized retailers. The remainder will go to rice shops equipped with polishing facilities.
Agriculture Minister Koizumi Shinjiro has projected that with distribution cost included, the retail price before tax will be around 1,800 yen, or 12 dollars and 50 cents per five kilograms.
That's less than half the current supermarket price. Recently, consumers have seen the price of Japan's staple grain hiked to over 4,000 yen.
In the meantime, large retailers are beginning to receive their shipments.
The operator of discount chain Don Quijote plans to start selling the rice in Tokyo from early June, and then expand the number of stores across the country.
Aeon says it will start selling it at some of its stores from Sunday and Monday.
The retail giant has bought 20,000 tons, the largest amount among retailers. A 5-kilogram bag will be priced at about 2,100 yen including tax. The bags are limited to one per family.
Meanwhile, Japan's Transport Minister Nakano Hiromasa has said he will set up an office to support distribution of the rice.
The office will support the drawing up of adjustments between the agriculture ministry and logistics operators that transport the rice.
Nakano said he will cooperate closely with the agriculture ministry to prevent distribution bottlenecks.
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