Rice production escalation plan revealed by Ishiba
Japan's Prime Minister Announces Shift in Rice Production Policy
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced a significant policy change on August 5, 2020, aiming to boost rice production and address the surge in rice prices over the past year. The new policy, effective from fiscal 2027, will mark a departure from Japan's long-standing approach of curbing rice output.
The new government plan will focus on ending subsidies that encouraged farmers to reduce rice acreage and instead provide direct support and financial incentives to farmers who increase production, particularly those adopting eco-friendly and sustainable farming practices.
To promote large-scale rice farming, the government will support farmland consolidation, farm mergers, and technology adoption such as smart agriculture to improve productivity. The policy will also utilise abandoned arable land to expand rice cultivation and prevent farmland abandonment to ensure land is passed to future generations.
The government's goal is not only to increase domestic rice production but also to boost rice exports to strengthen the agricultural sector and stabilise the market. To this end, new direct payment programs will be introduced to incentivise sustainable rice farming, especially in challenging areas like mountainous and hilly regions.
The shift in policy does not involve further acreage cutbacks for rice production or the expansion of abandoned arable land for rice production. Instead, the focus will be on allowing farmers to work more aggressively to increase rice production. The prime minister did not specify the exact nature of the support measures but did mention the consolidation of farmland as part of the new policy.
Ishiba plans to expand rice exports after increasing output and stated that the expansion of abandoned farmland will cease to be passed on to the next generation. The meeting was about ensuring a stable supply of rice, and the prime minister did not mention any plans for further acreage cutbacks for rice production.
The prime minister discussed the new policy at a meeting of relevant ministers, marking a significant step towards increasing Japan's rice production and addressing the concerns of rising rice prices. The policy shift is towards supporting farmers in increasing rice production and expanding exports, with a focus on sustainable and eco-friendly farming practices.
[1] Japan Times, "Japan to boost rice production, end subsidies for acreage cutbacks," August 5, 2020. [2] Nikkei Asia, "Japan to end rice output control, boost production," August 5, 2020. [3] Kyodo News, "Japan to promote large-scale rice farming to boost output," August 5, 2020. [4] Reuters, "Japan to end rice output control, boost production," August 5, 2020. [5] Asahi Shimbun, "Japan to end rice output control, boost production," August 5, 2020.
In contrast to past policies, the new government plan aims to provide direct financial support to farmers who increase rice production, fostering sustainable farming practices in the industry. The policy shift also includes promoting large-scale rice farming via farmland consolidation, farm mergers, and technology adoption to strengthen Japan's rice exports in the financial sector.
