Japan Advised to Boost Rice Exports to 353,000 Tons in 2030

   Tokyo, March 28 (Jiji Press)--Japan should aim to boost annual rice exports, including packaged rice and rice flour, to 353,000 tons in 2030, up eightfold from last year, a government panel has said.
   The target is included in a draft five-year basic plan for food, agriculture and rural areas submitted by the Council of Food, Agriculture and Rural Area Policies to agriculture minister Taku Eto on Thursday. The advisory panel for the minister drew up the draft following last year's revision of the basic law on food, agriculture and rural areas.
   Domestic rice prices keep rising amid growing concern about supply shortages. Increasing rice production for exports would help expand supply flexibility as rice intended for foreign markets could be diverted for domestic consumption in case of a domestic rice shortage.
   The basic plan, revised every five years, includes specific measures that will be taken under the government's basic policy on agriculture, as well as food self-sufficiency and other targets.
   In the draft, the government's target for the calorie-based food self-sufficiency rate remains unchanged at 45 pct for fiscal 2030, up from 38 pct in fiscal 2023.

(2025/03/28-10:51)