Japanese Firms Call for Improved Distribution of Stockpiled Rice

Tokyo, April 14 (Jiji Press)--Japanese rice wholesalers and retailers on Monday called for improvements in what they see as the unbalanced distribution of government-stockpiled rice released last month to curb soaring prices.

The distribution of the 210,000 tons of stockpiled rice has been skewed toward certain areas, they said in a meeting with agriculture minister Taku Eto.

The stockpiled rice “has yet to spread throughout Japan,” said Takaharu Iwasaki, chairman of the Japan Supermarkets Association and president of supermarket chain Life Corp.

The average price of rice sold at supermarkets across the country in the week through April 6 rose 8 yen from the previous week to 4,214 yen per 5 kilograms, the 14th straight week of gain, the agriculture ministry said.

The price remains more than double the 2,068-yen average at the same period last year, despite stockpiled rice beginning to hit some store shelves.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]