The Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has announced that it will hold a tender for purchasing stockpiled rice for the first time in two years, a decision made in response to rising rice prices. Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Nenkawa Suzuki, revealed at a press conference that the initial tender will take place on April 14, with plans for several additional tenders, aiming to purchase approximately 210,000 tons of rice from the 2026 harvest.

Traditionally, the ministry initiates multiple tenders around January before rice planting season to replenish stockpiles. However, due to the soaring prices of rice, the government decided to release stockpiled rice starting in spring 2025, considering supply-demand dynamics and thus postponed the purchasing of rice from the 2025 harvest. The ministry expects that the production of rice for household consumption in 2026 will reach 7.32 million tons, slightly exceeding the demand forecast of 7.11 million tons, alleviating concerns over future supply.

The ideal amount for stockpiled rice as a precaution against emergencies is approximately 1 million tons, but current levels have fallen to around 320,000 tons due to previous releases. Minister Suzuki emphasized that the government believes the supply for the 2026 harvest will be sufficient and that the purchase of 210,000 tons will not create supply issues.