RICE.COMM▼
New Rice Advance Payments Fall Amid Large Carryover Stocks
Ahead of the new rice harvest, agricultural cooperatives across Japan are increasingly lowering the advance payments they make to farmers. In Niigata Prefecture, the largest producing area, JA Zen-Noh Niigata has cut its payment for top-grade Koshihikari rice to 18,500 yen per 60 kilograms, down 38% from the previous year. In Hokkaido, Hokuren has reduced its payment for Nanatsuboshi rice from 29,000 yen last year to 17,000 yen, a decrease of about 40%. The background is that large stocks of the 2025 crop, which saw high prices, remain unsold, making it difficult to foresee sales of the new rice. Many producing areas are offering payments below the cost indicator of 20,535 yen set by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, raising concerns among producers. At retail, the phenomenon of new rice being cheaper than old rice, known as 'new-old reversal,' is also occurring, and JA Zenchu is urging the government to buy back stockpiled rice earlier.
時事通信·11hRead more ▾
RICE.COMM▼
Government reserve rice, buyback possibly in September, adjusting around 150,000 tons
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is expected to begin the buyback process for government reserve rice released since last year as early as September, according to sources on the 26th. The ministry is adjusting to buy back around 150,000 tons, which is the amount budgeted for buyback costs in the initial budget for fiscal 2026.
Jiji Press·23hRead more ▾
Thailand Reclaims Top Rice Exporter Spot to Malaysia, Expected to Surpass 700,000 Tonnes This Year
The Department of Foreign Trade revealed that Malaysia ranked Thailand as its top rice import source in the first half of the year, with 327,995 tonnes, or 46 percent of total rice imports. This year's volume is expected to surpass 700,000 tonnes, the highest in more than 20 years. Mrs. Arada Fuangtong, Director-General of the Department of Foreign Trade, said Padiberas Nasional Berhad, or BERNAS, the sole rice importer of Malaysia, indicated that in the first half of 2026, Thailand returned to the top spot as Malaysia's leading rice import source, with 327,995 tonnes out of total rice imports of 710,656 tonnes, or about 46 percent. Vietnam followed with 232,416 tonnes, India with 62,115 tonnes, and Cambodia with 57,602 tonnes. Thailand's rice volume in just the first six months of this year exceeded the amount Malaysia imported from Thailand for all of 2025, which stood at 264,605 tonnes, reflecting a remarkable return to growth for Thai rice in the Malaysian market. Most of the rice Malaysia imports from Thailand is white rice, because consumers in Peninsular Malaysia prefer rice with a relatively firm texture that expands well when cooked, a key characteristic of Thai white rice. BERNAS wants Thailand to maintain quality in line with market demand and praised Thai rice exporters for delivering goods according to contract. BERNAS's rice procurement decisions do not consider price alone, but also place importance on quality, consistency, and on-time delivery, which are key strengths of Thai exporters. Meanwhile, Thai jasmine rice and Thai fragrant rice continue to be recognized for quality and have opportunities to expand in the quality-conscious consumer segment, despite facing price competition from fragrant rice of rival countries. Based on Malaysian market demand trends, the Department of Foreign Trade expects that in 2026 Thailand will export more than 700,000 tonnes of rice to Malaysia, the highest level in more than 20 years, and will continue to work with the private sector to maintain quality standards and steadily expand the Thai rice market.
InfoQuest·5dRead more ▾
RICE.COMM▲
Commerce Ministry Eyes Full-Year Rice Exports of 7 Million Tonnes, Buoyed by El Niño-Driven Demand Surge
The Ministry of Commerce has revealed that although Thai rice exports in the first half of 2026 declined, the full-year target of 7 million tonnes remains intact, supported by rising import demand to stockpile reserves in response to the El Niño phenomenon. Mrs. Arada Fuangtong, Director-General of the Department of Foreign Trade, stated that in the first six months, Thailand exported approximately 3.28 million tonnes of rice, down 18.81 percent, worth over 1.911 billion US dollars, a drop of 20.51 percent from the same period last year, due to high global rice supply and price competition, as well as a halt in exports to Iraq since March. The department sees potential in alternative markets such as Malaysia, the Philippines, South Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Mozambique, where imports from Thailand have increased, and will accelerate government-to-government rice trade negotiations with COFCO of the Chinese government, while leading a delegation to meet key importers in the Philippines and Malaysia between August 2 and 6 to push exports toward the target.
InfoQuest·21dRead more ▾
RICE.COMM▼
Rice Price Outlook Remains Bearish, July Forecast Index Hits Record Low of 18
According to the July survey results on table rice prices released on the 6th by the Rice Stable Supply Support Organization, the price outlook index for the next three months came in at 18, down 1 point from the previous month and hitting a new record low. The bearish sentiment on rice prices, which are already on a downward trend, is spreading further.
Jiji Press·21dRead more ▾
RICE.COMM▲
Commerce Ministry to push 13 products worth 4.9 billion dollars for additional US tariff exemptions
The Commerce Ministry is preparing to push for 13 more key Thai export products, with a combined value of 4.95341 billion US dollars, to negotiate additional import tariff exemptions under Section 301 of the United States. Arada Fuangtong, Director-General of the Department of Foreign Trade, revealed that Thailand currently has 2,120 products exempted and not subject to the additional 12.5 percent tariff, accounting for more than half of Thai exports to the US. The 13 products to be proposed for additional exemptions represent 8.81 percent of total export value, covering handicrafts, pet food, rice, rubber gloves, processed seafood, and other consumer goods. Meanwhile, the Thai side has been scheduled for technical-level discussions in the negotiations on the Agreement on Reciprocal Tariffs, or ART, and expects that the US may raise the issue of structural overcapacity to pressure for faster negotiations, with possible clarity around September or early October.
Kaohoon·21dRead more ▾
Climate Adaptation & Water▼
China faces crop damage risk as heatwave blankets key agricultural regions
China's corn, rice, and cotton growing areas are at high risk of damage in the coming days as a heatwave spreads across the northern and eastern regions, which are the country's key agricultural zones. Vaisala, a commercial weather forecasting company, says high pressure will bring hotter-than-normal conditions this week, with Shenyang seeing maximum temperatures between 35 and 38 degrees Celsius through Thursday, August 7, while Beijing will experience temperatures in the low to mid-30s Celsius through this weekend. Meanwhile, the climate center of Shandong province, which accounts for 10 percent of domestic corn output, has warned that temperatures will remain in the mid to high 30s Celsius continuously until at least August 5, potentially affecting the summer corn yield, and high humidity from monsoon moisture could increase the risk of crop disease. In Liaoning province, which produces about 7 percent of the country's corn, officials in Jinzhou city expressed concern that major crops like corn and rice are in a critical growth stage, and that sloping and sandy areas are losing more moisture. Additionally, the heat is blanketing the Xinjiang autonomous region, which grows nearly all of China's cotton, with Xinjiang's climate center issuing a warning that temperatures of at least 35 degrees Celsius will be widespread through August 11, and Turpan could see highs reaching 50 degrees Celsius.
InfoQuest·24dRead more ▾
RICE.COMM▼
2026 New Rice Crop Kicks Off Sales Season at 30% Lower Than Previous Year
The 2026 new rice crop has begun appearing on store shelves in the Tokyo metropolitan area, starting the sales season at levels roughly 30 percent below the previous year. The rice released is Koshihikari from Miyazaki Prefecture, and at the Hanakoganei Station branch of the supermarket Inageya, a 5-kilogram bag is being sold for 2,990 yen before tax, which is 1,200 yen cheaper than last year. According to a survey by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the average price of rice per 5 kilograms sold at supermarkets nationwide has recently fallen to the low 3,000 yen range, but compared to before the price surge, it remains high and sales are struggling to grow. With the distribution of new rice, downward pressure on prices of the currently mainstream 2025 crop is expected to intensify.
時事通信·24dRead more ▾
RICE.COMM▼
Domestic table rice demand hits record low of 6.83 million tonnes as imports surge, outlook revised down
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries disclosed on the 28th that demand for domestically produced table rice for the year starting July 2025 will total just 6.83 million tonnes on a brown rice basis, marking a record low. The figure fell 80,000 to 210,000 tonnes short of the March outlook, as the ministry failed to factor in declining demand for domestic rice amid a rise in private imports. In the wake of the Reiwa rice shortage, the calculation method was revised to account for factors such as demand from foreign visitors, but the surge in imports caused the demand forecast to be overly optimistic. For the 2025 crop, production exceeded the inflated demand forecast due to soaring rice prices, resulting in a surplus. Private inventories at the end of last month swelled to a record 2.43 million tonnes, heightening concerns over falling prices.
時事通信·30dRead more ▾
RICE.COMM
Table rice production expected to increase in 20 prefectures
It has emerged that table rice production is expected to increase in 20 prefectures. In the comments section of Yahoo! News, concerns have been raised that soaring rice prices are directly impacting people's lives, along with the risk of a price crash due to insufficient support when switching back to table rice after converting to feed rice. There were also opinions expressing confusion over agricultural policies that change direction in a short period.
THE PAGE·31dRead more ▾
RICE.COMM▼
New Rice Prices Reverse Surge, Likely to Fall This Year
After soaring, new rice prices are now being flagged as likely to decline this year. In the comments section of Yahoo! News, the causes of the price surge are attributed to hoarding by Japan Agricultural Cooperatives and distrust of the distribution system, with the buyback of stockpiled rice seen as a price-support measure. Among consumers, rice consumption is falling and a shift to other staples is underway, with some viewing this as negative for farmers. There are also voices suggesting that rice culture may end up in a museum someday, and opinions that even if prices settle down, people will not buy rice themselves.
THE PAGE·41dRead more ▾
RICE.COMM▼
Average 5kg rice price falls to 3,403 yen, down for third straight week
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries announced on the 17th that the average price of 5 kilograms of rice sold at around 1,000 supermarkets nationwide from the 6th to the 12th was 3,403 yen, down 55 yen from the previous week. This marks the third consecutive week of decline. The average price of branded rice, which accounts for about 80% of sales volume, fell 66 yen from the previous week to 3,455 yen, while blended rice also dropped 21 yen to 3,216 yen. With new-crop 2026 rice from Kyushu hitting the market at the end of this month and 2025 rice becoming old crop, wholesalers are increasingly moving to reduce inventories, and retail prices could fall further.
時事通信·41dRead more ▾
RICE.COMM▼
New rice prices likely to fall this year: early-harvest advance payments in Kagoshima and Miyazaki drop 2–45% year-on-year
The likelihood is growing that rice prices for the 2026 crop will decline. This month, the Kagoshima Prefecture Economic Federation of Agricultural Cooperatives showed local cooperatives an early-harvest purchase price about 20% lower than the previous year. For early-harvest Koshihikari rice from Miyazaki Prefecture, the advance payment was set at 18,000 yen per 60 kilograms of brown rice, a 45% drop from the previous year's 32,600 yen. Behind this is a supply-demand easing as private-sector inventories have swelled far beyond normal levels. Supermarket rice prices also fell below 3,500 yen per 5 kilograms in the first week of July for the first time in about a year and a half. Industry voices are increasingly calling for an early buyback of stockpiled rice. A Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers' league submitted an emergency resolution, and JA-Zenchu Chairman Shinnou stressed that stockpiles should be replenished to 100% as soon as possible. Meanwhile, within the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, there are cautious views concerned that buying back before the harvest could prevent the 2026 crop from being harvested in sufficient volume.
時事通信·42dRead more ▾
RICE.COMM▼
Retail price of 5 kg of rice falls below 3,500 yen for the first time in a year and a half
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries announced on the 10th that the average price of 5 kilograms of rice sold at around 1,000 supermarkets nationwide between June 29 and July 5 was 3,458 yen, down 96 yen from the previous week. This marks the second consecutive week of decline, and the price has fallen below 3,500 yen for the first time in a year and a half, since the final week of December 2024. The average price of branded rice, which accounted for 78 percent of sales volume, fell 87 yen from the previous week to 3,521 yen, while blended rice dropped 106 yen to 3,237 yen.
時事通信·48dRead more ▾
RICE.COMM▼
CoBank Quarterly: Rising food prices squeeze household budgets, constrain consumer spending
Price increases across most food and beverage categories are tightening household budgets and prompting consumers to make wholesale changes in how they shop, according to a new quarterly report from CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange. Overall food prices are up 2.7% from May 2025 and roughly 26% higher than five years ago, leading a growing number of Americans to trade down to lower cost food options, reduce discretionary purchases, or buy fewer groceries altogether. Large grocery retail chains are unveiling price rollbacks and value positioning to maintain traffic, while food and beverage manufacturers emphasize affordability through pricing adjustments and promotions. The report also highlights that 4 out of 10 consumers cite rising prices as their top concern for the year ahead, with cost pressures straining some demographics more than others. Beyond food, the report covers a wide range of sectors, noting that interest rates have moved meaningfully higher since March, U.S. planted rice acreage plunged to the lowest level in more than 50 years, and U.S. tomato prices rose nearly 40% between January and April, the biggest three-month increase since 2006.
GlobeNewswire·49dRead more ▾