Gov't warns of risks to stable food supply amid Ukraine crisis

It's just a ploy to get people to spend more money on food !

But according to some posters on JT yesterday, there is no crisis. Ukraine has managed to export 600,000 tonnes of grain. Obviously at a much greater cost than the regular ship route. Not to mention 600,000 tonnes sounds a lot, until you realize that in 2021 Ukraine shipped 46.5 MILLION tonnes of grain. Hopefully Russia lets them keep the rail system running. For the sake of the children of the world.

I don't even the most optimistic forecaster thought Russia would fare so well in the economic war against Japan, Europe and North America. The Russian economy has taken a hit and will continue to see difficulties for around 6 months while supply chains are reset but the inflation crisis, high energy prices, food shortages and etc in the rest of the world, especially North America and Europe are being forecast to last for years.

I read one expert say the West thought the economic blitzkrieg would crash the Russian economy and they never prepared for an economic war of attrition.

Or maybe it's more a reflection on the economic weakness of the West vis-a-vis China.

The government will buy up and stockpile more rice and flour with our taxes and then raise prices again.

Great !

You are both rights.

There are both subsidies to farmers and price commodities following global prices on market. It is a struggle depending on the year and the food commodity.

With that 37% self-sufficiency ratio, point is Japan could any one day find itself in a very very bad situation if trade was stopping long time for any reason. Even Somalia or Haiti has a better rate...

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_food_self-sufficiency_rate

Sorry are you still trying to understand that lowered supply equals higher prices?

proxy

Today 11:20 am JST

@Antiquesaving

lol, lol, Oh my

Ever heard of CBC, look it up they reported on it in 2018, 2019 and even in 2020 in between the all covid coverage.

CWB may be gone but government subsidies and support in the agricultural industry isn't!

@Antiquesaving

lol, lol, Oh my.

Google isn't showing me anything to support Antiquesaving's statement at all

Then you don't know how to use Google.

Keep trying it will come to you!

Your false claim that "Canada paid farmers far to high a price for their grain by international standards" is laughable.

Google isn't showing me anything to support Antiquesaving's statement at all. I don't see anything that says the Canadian government has stockpiled grain.

So he was getting all angry based on something that doesn't seem to be true, while ignoring the very simple fact I was presenting him. Baffling.

proxy

Today 11:08 am JST

Until 2015 all was sold to the Canadian Wheat Board, after the cons sold it to the USA and Saudi it is private but now the government has been "Buying back" the grain from this group because farmers are not making enough.

So in the last 5 year Trudeau has been quietly buying back unsold grain and it is still in storage so the CWB may be gone but government buying the grain to keep farmers viable is still going on.

@Antiquesaving Your false claim that "Canada paid farmers far to high a price for their grain by international standards" is laughable. Canada does not pay farmers for grain. The entire supply chain is market driven without government involvement and farmers are price takers not price makers.

@Antiquesaving Canada and Australia are not sitting on stockpiles of unsold grain.

And even if they were, it wouldn't change the fact that a drop in supply results in an increase in cost.

@Antiquesaving Canada and Australia are not sitting on stockpiles of unsold grain.

Strangerland

Today 10:41 am JST

Sorry "mate" but you really don't understand how socialised countries like Canada work do you?

Ok, explain how Canada is somehow outside of capitalism mate. Or are you saying Canada is not a capitalist nation?

I'll state it out, again, very easy: When supply goes down, prices go up. Supply went down. Prices have gone up.

No idea where you are from "mate".

But that is also how France, Germany Italy, UK Even Australia work.

"Capitalism" in the agricultural industry!!!! Are you making some kind of joke?

It is the most government controlled industry in every country.

Sorry "mate" but you really don't understand how socialised countries like Canada work do you?

Ok, explain how Canada is somehow outside of capitalism mate. Or are you saying Canada is not a capitalist nation?

I'll state it out, again, very easy: When supply goes down, prices go up. Supply went down. Prices have gone up.

Strangerland

Today 10:24 am JST

It is like going into a Japanese Mom and Pop store

No, it's not like that at all. We're dealing with a global commodity, not a mom and pop store mate.

Seriously, it's a really, really simple concept. Supply decreases, price increases. It's how capitalism has always worked from the start mate.

Sorry "mate" but you really don't understand how socialised countries like Canada work do you?

You don't understand what "Crown corporations" are and their roles!

You need to look it up.

But I will help, they buy products at set prices regardless of the present international or market value especially in the agricultural industry,

In Canada they dump millions and millions of litres of milk yearly because the production was higher than demand and the ones doing the dumping are crown corporations or government entities because they buy the entire production at a set price but cannot sell it, so the litre of milk in the store has a high price because it needs to cover the losses the crown corporations incurred by buying the entire production at an unreasonable price and then dumping what it can't sell.

Grain is the same but unlike milk it can be stored easily and dumping it is more difficult.

Eastman

Today 10:22 am JST

question.what exactly Japan buying from Ukraine,say food?

Good question!

Previously Gyomu super sold Ukrainian borsch but has long since changed to Lithuania as the supply From Ukraine was spotty at best but I guess when the country you are dealing with us the second most corrupt in Europe ( Russia is number one) I guess it gets complicated dealing there.

Anyway the Borsch is now from Lithuania and supplies have been very steady.

Since the change I haven't ever seen a single thing from Ukraine, from Russia I regularly see Salmon, Salmon roe, and Crab other than that not much.

It is like going into a Japanese Mom and Pop store

No, it's not like that at all. We're dealing with a global commodity, not a mom and pop store mate.

Seriously, it's a really, really simple concept. Supply decreases, price increases. It's how capitalism has always worked from the start mate.

Strangerland

Today 10:14 am JST

Hint Canada alone is sitting on stacks of grain no one wants some in controled storage for a decade.

Just that despite the demand few are willing to pay the price demanded.

It is like going into a Japanese Mom and Pop store, seeing an old out of date electronic device, the price is ¥100,000 you look and say it is no longer worth that price it isn't even worth ¥5,000.

The reply is they paid ¥100,000 for it 20 years ago so they need to get the ¥100,000 back so it sits there another 20 years.

Canada paid farmers far to high a price for their grain by international standards and needs to sell it at that price at least. So like the out dated electronic in the mom and pop store the grain sits in storage waiting for a buyer willing to pay the higher than market value.

question.what exactly Japan buying from Ukraine,say food?

I never saw one for for sale here in stores.did you see anything?

so what is this talk about?

if no UA food on market here-no affect for Japan-Am I right Fumiosan?

The supply is there, you may want to look it up!

Sigh. I guess you didn't look it up. Hint - when either supply declines, or demand goes up, prices increase. Grains are a global commodity, the global supply has decreased, and therefore prices have gone up.

I just saved you a google. It's a very, very easy concept.

Strangerland

Today 10:04 am JST

Antiquesaving - there's this whole thing about supply, demand, and capitalism you may want to look up. It explains all of this

What are you going on about again!

The supply is there, you may want to look it up!

Canada alone have more than enough sitting in storage for years because the demand isn't there or wasn't there at the time and the crown corporations buy it and sadly don't do much with it because the next year they again have to buy more unsold grain to keep the farmers burning a livable wage!

Larr Flint

Today 08:51 am JST

Don't get FOOLED.

> In the 70s Japan had self-sufficiency rate of 80% and in 1965 almost 90%

So what happened?

They started to print money and import more products from overseas. Nowadays we came to situation that Japanese doesn't want to work in the farm, they bring Vietnamese interns to do that.

It is going to end up really bad, famine and starvation, better buy some extra rice now before the winter comes.

Cute idea and nice if any of it was factual.

What happened was the same as what happened in many countries regarding many things from food to cars.

It is called international trade and penalty tariffs.

The USA a major producer and exporter of farm goods wanted I to to Japanese market as did Canada and Europe.

Japan's markets were closed, government fixed prices the western nations called it subsidies and demanded the market be opened.

In retaliation the western nations targetted Japanese products for high plenty tariffs anti Japanese campaigns were started that was when USA, Canada beef was finally permitted under conditions, USA, Canada and EU grain increased ( rice was agreed to be left alone at the time) and more including the big money at the time Soy products and vegetable oils.

But I guess the money printing things get better AirPlay

Antiquesaving - there's this whole thing about supply, demand, and capitalism you may want to look up. It explains all of this.

I don't get how such a false excuse has been permitted to continue by the media.

Unless a boycott of Russian foods is the problem, the loss of Ukraine's production is I drop in the world food bucket.

The constant going on about "Ukraine is the bread basket of Europe" is 100% propaganda and false.

Russia produces far more, France produces far more, Canada exports more than Ukraine's entire yearly yield of all forms of grain.

If we were talking 100 years ago yes Ukraine was a big deal, not anymore.

Canada and Australia alone have stockpiles of unsold grain from previous years they still cannot sell the entirety, that is why crown corporations buy it all to keep farmers happy.

Just like the pandemic, the idea of a food supply shortage create panic, fear, and anxiety. Fear is what causes people to be gullible and easily prone to suggestions. The elites will offer some sort of a solution and people will gravitate to it. Do I really think the elites care about u? That they have your best interests in mind?

Finally; land consolidation. As a "rich" country, Japan will have no problem being able to import enough calories, it just will not be cheap. But get ready for images of hungry people on the streets of countries with little foreign exchange holdings.

If Trudeau follows through with his threat to mandate a 30% reduction in fertilizer use, the world's third largest exporter of wheat, largest producer and exporter of canola, largest producer and exporter of oats and largest producer and exporter of durum will have 30% less to export in coming years. The hunger games are just beginning.

More scare tactics to help justify raising subsidies for their LDP supporting farmers and related businesses instead of allowing more imports.

There are a lot of golf links in Japan that can be readily turned into arable land.

Maybe the fallow land in Japan (increasing year by year) could have crops grown on them?

Japan’s government is also looking to secure this and that outside the country-how about inside it?

Have to blame it on something! And Russia's invastion of Ukraine conveniently avoids the uncomfortable questions and answers over how and why the world got caught in such a ugly predictment from globalization, with all it's promise to feed the globe, install fair rules-based trade, and generally make everyone better off in health, finance, ecology, education, and world peace.