Japan to Extend Deadline for Stockpiled Rice Sales

   Tokyo, Aug. 19 (Jiji Press)--Japan's agriculture ministry has decided to extend the deadline for selling government-stockpiled rice released under discretionary contracts, it was learned on Tuesday.
   The deadline was originally set at the end of August due to concerns about the possible impact of stockpiled rice on demand for and prices of newly harvested rice.
   However, the ministry will allow retailers to continue selling stockpiled rice in September and beyond, as it seems difficult for retailers to sell all the rice they applied to sell by the end of August, due to slow deliveries from the government.
   The ministry will announce the details of this decision soon.
   A total of about 500,000 tons of government-stockpiled rice is set to be released under no-bid contracts, of which retailers have applied to sell about 300,000 tons. However, as of Aug. 10, only 107,130 tons had been sold.

(2025/08/19-18:11)