"Is There No Korean Rice?" Hadong Rice Takes Japan by Storm Amid Soaring Popularity

Hadong Rice Makes Its First Export to Japan
A Total of 80 Tons Contracted

Rice cultivated by farmers in Hadong County, Gyeongnam Province is now being served on tables in Japan. As a recent rice shortage and soaring prices in Japan have increased demand for imported rice, high-quality Korean rice is gaining attention as a new alternative.

Hadong rice exported to Japan. Gyeongnam Provincial Government

On the morning of May 20, the provincial government held a ceremony at the Hadong County Nonghyup Rice Cooperative Corporation in Geumnam-myeon, Hadong County to mark the shipment of Hadong rice to Japan. On this day, the Hadong County Nonghyup Rice Cooperative Corporation sent the first shipment of 40 tons (10,000 bags) of a total export volume of 80 tons (20,000 bags) to Japan. The local major supermarket chain 'Heiwado' will sell rice produced in Hadong.

Until now, exporting domestically produced rice to Japan has been difficult due to Japan's high quality standards, strict distribution requirements, and non-tariff barriers. However, Japan has recently experienced poor harvests and supply issues, causing domestic rice prices to rise and gradually increasing demand for imported rice.

The provincial government evaluated this export as the first case of rice produced in Gyeongnam Province being exported to Japan, establishing an important milestone for expanding rice exports from the region. The provincial government projected that an additional 200 tons of Gyeongnam rice would be exported to Japan by the end of the year. Lee Jeongon, Director of Agricultural Policy for Gyeongnam Province, stated, "This export to Japan is a great opportunity to widely promote the excellent quality and brand value of Gyeongnam rice in the Japanese market," and added, "We will continue to diversify overseas rice export markets by further improving quality and expanding sales channels."

Meanwhile, although a survey released on May 12 showed that rice prices in Japan fell slightly for the first time in 18 weeks, prices remain more than twice as high as during the same period last year. The Japanese government has been releasing reserve rice stocks to increase supply, but it has not avoided criticism that its response was too slow.