"Since Prices Have Risen Anyway... Might as Well Choose the Best" Premium Rice Flying Off the Shelves in Japan

Premium Rice Demand Surges as Japanese Rice Prices Soar 92% in a Year
"Little Difference from Retail Rice Prices"

As rice prices in Japan have nearly doubled over the past year, demand for premium rice is increasing. This is due to the narrowing price gap between premium and regular rice as overall rice prices rise.

Rice. Pixabay

According to TV Asahi on April 21, Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries announced last week that the average price of 5 kilograms of rice at supermarkets (retailers) nationwide was 4,214 yen (approximately 42,500 won), marking 14 consecutive weeks of price increases. This represents a 92.1% rise compared to a year ago and is the largest increase since 1971.

With rice prices doubling in just one year, more people are seeking premium rice. The continued surge in rice prices has reduced the price difference between retail rice and premium rice, and premium rice can be purchased at a lower price through subscription delivery services. These subscription services allow rice sellers to secure inventory in cooperation with producers and sell rice at a fixed price, enabling customers to receive a set amount of rice each month at a consistent price.

TV Asahi reported, "On internet sites where rice can be purchased directly from producers, prices are set in advance with the producers, so the rate of price increase is only about 1.2 times compared to a year ago," adding, "As a result, the number of users has increased fivefold."

As the popularity of subscription delivery grows, some sites have even run out of rice stock. Ito Shogo of Tabechoku Rice Safe Subscription Delivery said, "Demand for rice is so strong that it will be difficult to keep selling rice until September," and added, "The supply itself has become unstable."

There are also places selling premium rice at prices lower than retail rice. At a rice shop in Chiba Prefecture, the price of rice classified as premium in Japan, such as 'Specially Cultivated Rice' and 'Special A District' rice, is in the 4,000 yen range. Seiji Yamazaki, who runs this store, said, "If this were Tokyo, the price would be over 5,000 yen now," and added, "I recommend trying this rice. It is cheaper than retail rice." Regarding how he is able to sell premium rice at a lower price, Yamazaki explained, "It's thanks to direct negotiations with producers last autumn."