Stockpiled Rice Slow to Reach Retailers, Consumers; Over 90% Sold in March Still with Govt., Distributors in Mid-April

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:36 JST, May 1, 2025

Government stockpiled rice auctioned in March is taking time to become available to consumers. As of April 13, only 1.4% of the about 210,000 tons had reached retailers, the agricultural ministry announced on Wednesday.

This is the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry’s second update on the distribution status.

The ministry held two auctions for the stockpiled rice in March and has been gradually releasing it. Distributors, such as the National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations (Zen-Noh), received 137,879 tons, or 64.7%, of the rice from the government between March 17 and April 13, the ministry said.

Of this, 20,073 tons had been sold by the distributors to wholesalers, meaning that more than 90% of the 210,000 tons of rice was still with the government or distributors, despite more than half a month having passed since the bidding.

For the stockpiled rice, administrative procedures and the coordination of truck drivers, as well as polishing and packaging the rice at the wholesaler level, take time.