Japan May Start Buying Back Rice for Stockpiles in Sept.
Tokyo, Aug. 26 (Jiji Press)--Japan's agriculture ministry is expected to begin purchasing rice to replenish government stockpiles as early as September, sources familiar with the matter said Wednesday. The government has already earmarked funds for the purchase of 150,000 tons of rice to replenish its stockpiles in its fiscal 2026 initial budget. The buyback plan will be discussed at a coun...
Japan's agriculture ministry plans to begin purchasing rice to replenish government stockpiles as early as September, according to sources familiar with the matter. The government has set aside funds for the acquisition of 150,000 tons of rice to bolster its reserves in its initial fiscal 2026 budget. The buyback plan will be deliberated upon at a council meeting scheduled for September 2.
The ministry has released 590,000 tons of stockpiled rice for human consumption since last year due to tight supply and escalating prices. The decision on the specific timing of the buyback will be made after evaluating supply and demand conditions and sales trends. Rice prices are decreasing as supply situations improve. Industry groups are advocating for an early buyback.
The government's rice stockpiles have dwindled to 320,000 tons, which is below the recommended level of 1 million tons, primarily because of these releases.
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