Japan’s agriculture minister says if his ministry’s projections hold true, a substantial amount of new rice will enter the market, leading to stable retail prices.
Koizumi Shinjiro made the remark in an NHK debate program on Sunday.
The agriculture ministry announced on Friday that as of August 15, rice growth had generally progressed on track nationwide thanks to long hours of sunshine, although the high temperatures caused plants to wither in some areas.
Koizumi said that with the heat so intense, he has to keep a close watch on rice growth until harvest time. He added that if rice grows smoothly as expected, it will undoubtedly lead to stable retail prices.
AloJapan.com