Rice prices down for 3rd week in Japan
The price of rice at supermarkets across Japan fell for the third straight week. But the minister in charge says that is not enough.
The agriculture ministry said on Monday that the average price of a 5-kilogram bag was 4,176 yen, or about 29 dollars, for the week through June 8th. That's down 1.1 percent from the previous week. The survey covers about 1,000 supermarkets nationwide.
The price of single brand varieties from a single origin was up 0.3 percent. Prices for blended rice and other types, which tend to be cheaper, fell 1.6 percent.
Agriculture Minister Koizumi Shinjiro says: "The market has entered a downtrend. Although the prices have fallen three weeks in a row, the decline of 109 yen over that time is not fast enough. I will continue to consider as many steps as possible, and take action."
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