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TOKYO -- Rice prices in Japan have continued to rise for 15 consecutive weeks despite the release of crops stockpiled by the government.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries announced April 21 that the average price of 5 kilograms of rice sold in supermarkets nationwide from April 7 to 13 was 4,217 yen (about $30) including tax. This marks an increase of 2,139 yen (around $15) from the same period last year and a rise of 3 yen from the previous week. The average price increased 15 weeks in a row, and was the highest recorded since data collection began in March 2022.

To curb soaring rice prices, the Japanese government has been releasing reserve rice since mid-March. However, adequate quantities have not reached store shelves, and prices have yet to decline.

According to the distribution status of the first released batch, announced by the agriculture ministry April 18, only 0.3% (426 metric tons) of the approximately 140,000 tons released had reached retailers like supermarkets in the two weeks leading up to March 30. The price at which retailers purchased polished rice from wholesalers, when converted to a tax-included price, was about 3,070 yen (roughly $22) for 5 kilograms, nearly 30% cheaper than the announced price.

The agriculture ministry explained that the main reasons for the delay in reserve rice stocks reaching stores are the release coinciding with the busy end-of-fiscal year period, causing a shortage of trucks, and the time required to polish large quantities of brown rice.

Currently, a total of about 210,000 tons of stockpiled rice has been released through two auctions. A third auction for 100,000 tons is scheduled from April 23 to 25, and rice will continue to be released monthly until summer to suppress price surges.

Tohoku University's Graduate School professor Katsuhito Fuyuki, a specialist in agricultural market studies, commented, "Some supermarkets, aware of the lower price of reserve rice, have begun reducing the price of their stock by about 100 yen (some 70 cents) per 5 kilograms. If stockpiled rice becomes widely available in stores, prices could potentially drop to the upper 3,000 yen (approx. $21) range."

Source : msn