Japan will release its stockpiled rice every month until around the end of July, the agriculture minister said Wednesday, after the previous two releases appeared to have had little effect in stabilizing prices.
“I have been saying that if necessary, we will conduct a third auction,” farm minister Taku Eto told reporters Wednesday, following a meeting with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.
The stockpile release had initially been scheduled for early and late March. However, Eto announced that the ministry is planning a third release for the week of April 21, when 100,000 metric tons of stockpiled rice will be auctioned.
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