Japan Wholesalers Pay Record-High Price for Rice in Oct.

Tokyo, Nov. 18 (Jiji Press)–The average price paid by wholesalers for rice harvested in Japan in 2025 hit a new record high of 37,058 yen per 60 kilograms of brown rice in October, the agriculture ministry said Tuesday. The average price in transactions between wholesalers and rice buyers dealing with farmers, including the National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations, or Zen-Noh, increased by 163 yen from the previous month and by 56 pct from that for the 2024 crop a year earlier, posting a record high since comparable data became available in 2006. The average price for the 2025 rice rewrote the record since agricultural cooperatives set their estimated payments, or advanced payments to farmers when rice is collected, at around 30 to 70 pct higher than the previous year. Trade volume for new rice climbed 23 pct from a year before to 337,000 tons in October, logging the highest level in five years. The figure apparently reflected consumers’ active demand for new rice, which caused strong demand among wholesalers. Increases in transaction prices between businesses are influencing retail sales prices in stores, including supermarkets. The average price of 5 kilograms of rice sold during the week from Nov. 3 at some 1,000 supermarkets across the country stood at a record high of 4,316 yen. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]