Economy

Average Retail Rice Price Up for Second Consecutive Week; More Than Double Same Period Last Year

Yomiuri Shimbun file photo
Rice is displayed at a supermarket in Naka, Ibaraki Prefecture, on April 14.

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:46 JST, May 27, 2025

The average price of a 5-kilogram bag of rice was ¥4,285 at supermarkets nationwide from May 12 to 18, up ¥17 (0.4%) from the previous week, the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry announced on Monday. The increase marks the second consecutive week that the price has risen, and the average price is a new record high.

More and more stockpiled rice released by the government is hitting supermarket shelves, but the measure has had little effect on lowering the average retail price.

From April 28 to May 4, rice prices fell for the first time in 18 weeks. However, they have started to rise again.

The average price during the May 12-18 period is more than double what it was during approximately the same period last year (¥2,120). Lowering the price has, therefore, become an urgent task.

The average retail prices that the ministry announces are based on purchasing data from about 1,000 supermarkets nationwide.