TOKYO, Dec. 11 ― Japan’s agriculture ministry has cut the 2018 rice production outlook by 1 point to 98, the lowest level in eight years, affected by weather conditions.
Production outlook for table rice now stands at 7.32 million metric tons, down 2,000 tons from the October intended plantings and larger than a year earlier, the ministry said.
The survey-based estimate of 2018 rice planted area was 1.38 million hectares, up 16,000 hectares above a year earlier.
However, a drop in sunshine hours seems to have imposed a significant stress throughout some regions, including Niigata, Akita and Hokkaido prefectures, the ministry explained.