Key Facts
• Sake rice prices have surged, with some costs doubling since last year.
• Kanagawa breweries face uncertainty over autumn rice supply quantities and prices.
• Farmers are shifting from sake rice to staple rice due to profitability concerns.
• Kanagawa breweries rely on cooperatives for rice procurement, but clear data is lacking.
• 2025 processing rice cultivation area is projected to drop 12% year-on-year.
• Rising costs may force breweries to increase sake prices.
• Brewery leaders urge government support for sake rice farmers to stabilize supply.
Summary
Kanagawa’s sake breweries are grappling with uncertainty over the supply and cost of sake rice for the upcoming autumn harvest. Rising rice prices, with some doubling, have led farmers to prioritize staple rice over sake rice, further straining supply. Breweries, dependent on cooperatives for procurement, report a lack of clear data on availability and pricing. The Ministry of Agriculture projects a 12% decline in processing rice cultivation by 2025, exacerbating concerns. Brewery leaders warn that sustained high costs could lead to increased sake prices and call for government subsidies to support sake rice farmers. The situation highlights the challenges facing Japan’s sake industry amid economic pressures.
