Rice price

We bought 2 kg of new white rice for ¥1,500—a steep price increase.

The “why not import” line is complicated.

First, Japanese consumers expect particular flavor and quality. Foreign-grown rices, even at cheaper prices, have never sold well. Even amidst this “rice shortage,” places like Costco had bags and bags of rice on the shelves that were hardly selling.

Second, the weak yen and rampant inflation in the U.S. means that imported rice isn’t going to be exactly cheap.

Third, foreign rice could be made substantially cheaper if the government reduced the tariff on rice. Would Japanese consumers accept foreign rice if it were half the price? If they did, it would devastate Japanese farmers, killing a lot of rural economies around Japan and likely resulting in considerable social and political turmoil. Japan would also be less self-sufficient and more insecure in its food supply. Thus the government is not going to drop tariffs.

mountainpear

@Wallace Imported flour prices have definitely gone up due to the weak yen!

You can buy Japanese flour. I buy Japanese or Canadian every two months. I used to buy a 25 kg bag for cheaper prices but it got too heavy. I have been buying flour for the last five years. No big increases in the price of imported flour.

2020 ¥597/kg (15kg bag)

2021 ¥272/kg (25 kg bag)

2022 ¥292/kg (25 kg bag)

2023 ¥363/kg (15 kg bag)

2024 ¥363/kg (15 kg bag)

The prices for 2023/2024 are the same.

My buddy grows rice and he sold me the same large bag for exactly the same price as last year at 10,000. He says there's really no shortage but all the other suppliers are raising their prices to take advantage of this situation.

The cost of new rice, brown and white is now ¥750/kg. One-third price increase. Prices might drop when more rice arrives in the store.

@Wallace Imported flour prices have definitely gone up due to the weak yen!

@Wallace The yen has had a 31% decline since January 2021! In January 2021 it was 103 yen to the dollar! (The war in Ukraine pushed world wheat prices up temporarily but they're back down to pre-invasion levels)!

How could the weak yen not have an impact on imported wheat prices?

I have noticed, not just the rice, but the grains got 30 to 40% more expensive compared to a couple of years ago.

The price of bread (the good bread from bakeries, not that squared cut junk from supermarkets) also got quite a price hike too.

@Wallace But you've got flour at 272/kg in 2021 and now at 363/kg in 2024! That is about a 25% increase! You don't consider that a big jump in price?

love Japanese home grown rices, it's the best, can't substitute with those from California or Vietnam/Thai

try importing....

DanteKH

I have noticed, not just the rice, but the grains got 30 to 40% more expensive compared to a couple of years ago.

> The price of bread (the good bread from bakeries, not that squared cut junk from supermarkets) also got quite a price hike too.

No big increases in the price of flour. I buy 15 kg of whole wheat every two months for my bread making.

"We bought 2 kg of new white rice for ¥1,500—a steep price increase."

Just got one kg of basmati for 600 yen, including all the taxes they put on imported rice. That makes it cheaper than Japanese rice now. And potentially better quality, though there is plenty of low-quality basmati out there since it got so popular in the world. Must try it soon. It is from Pakistan.

Ordered a 30kg bag of new brown rice from a young farmer for ¥8,500. ¥283/kg.

@Wallace I too have been buying flour for many years, but I don't buy in bulk as my house is small! I used to pay about 198 a kilo. I'm now paying 258 a kilo! I live in central Japan! Maybe because of the high cost of gasoline, prices are higher!

We are told in three sentences that there is now rice on the shelves and rice costs 30% more than it did last year. How informative! There is no explanation of why there is or was an alleged rice shortage; whether government policies caused or contributed to the shortage; what the rice supply projections are for the coming year; how the JA intends to deal with or prevent more shortages in the future; and no independent investigation of the price people are actually paying for new rice (hint: it's much more than 30% in most places). It's almost as though Japan Today was handed a government press release and published it as though it was really news.

We have plenty of prime grade rice here in California. Just say the word, and it will be on its way......

Manipulating supply & demand to falsely increase domestically produced rice prices to help old rice farmers with small fields who can't make a profit on their own. You also need to take into account the government subsidies they receive through JA which we pay through taxes. There's plenty of rice. It's just not a profitable business for most rice farmers because their fields are too small and they haven't automated.

Laughable that domestic rice which is a fundamental diet staple in Japan can't be profitable when so many eat and need it on a daily basis. Another example of the government ignoring a problem like the plummeting population until it's too late.

mountainpear

@Wallace But you've got flour at 272/kg in 2021 and now at 363/kg in 2024! That is about a 25% increase! You don't consider that a big jump in price?

Yes but like I said the more you buy the lower the price. 2021 was a 25kg bag. 2024 was a 15kg bag. If available I buy organic flour which is a higher price.

No difference between 2023 and 2024 prices so not affected by the exchange rate.

There are many other reasons for increases in price like energy.

Indian Premium Basmati Rice Tilda Brand £40 for 20 kg (that's yen 7500 only)

Japanese 20 kg Nishiki (yen 10,500) and Koshihikari (yen 12,000)

Nepalese Pure Village 20kg Rice (yen 5500)

Well done farms of Japan!

Ah, the tourist gobbling of all the rice has abated. Phew!

Rather than spending all of time and wasted money on white rice, eat a cupload of white sugar and get the glucose hit straight away.

Being a vegan can be expensive,