Japan’s supermarket rice price drops below 3,000 yen after two years
Consumers are benefiting as government stockpile releases and higher production ease supply pressure, but farmers fear their returns may not cover production costs.
- The average supermarket price for 5kg of rice has fallen to 2,971 yen, dropping below the 3,000 yen mark for the first time since September 2024.
- This price drop follows a prolonged period of high costs that began with a supply shortage in 2024 and peaked at 4,416 yen in January 2026.
- The current decline is attributed to eased supply-demand conditions, caused by increased production and the government releasing rice from its stockpiles.
- While the lower price benefits households, it has raised concerns that farmers may struggle to cover their production costs.
Rice at supermarkets in Japan costs an average of 2,971 yen per 5kg from Sunday to the following Sunday, taking the figure below 3,000 yen for the first time since early September 2024, the agriculture ministry reported on Friday (September 18, 2026).
The average was 32 yen lower than a week earlier, marking the fifth consecutive weekly decline.
Cheaper rice is easing costs for Japanese households because it is a staple food.
Further falls are expected, however, raising concern that farmers may be unable to cover production costs.
At his inaugural press conference on Friday, agriculture minister Kazuo Yana said: “The situation is becoming extremely difficult and simply unacceptable for farmers trying to stay in business.”
The current decline follows a prolonged rise that began during the supply shortage of summer 2024, which became known as the Reiwa-era rice crisis.
The average supermarket price reached 4,416 yen per 5kg in January 2026.
More recently, supply-demand conditions have eased as production increased and the government released rice from its stockpiles.
Branded rice accounted for 85% of total sales volume and averaged 2,988 yen per 5kg, down 35 yen from the previous week.
Relatively inexpensive blended rice fell by 34 yen to an average of 2,866 yen per 5kg.
The downward movement was not confined to supermarkets.
Rice from Japan’s 2025 harvest sold to wholesalers in August recorded its first month-on-month price decline in two months.
Unmilled rice averaged 31,556 yen per 60kg, down 930 yen from the previous month, based on transactions between wholesalers and rice buyers dealing with farmers.
Prices in both retail and business-to-business markets are now trending lower.
