U.S. egg prices increased again last month to reach a new record-high of $6.23 per dozen despite President Donald Trump’s predictions, a drop in wholesale prices and no egg farms having bird flu outbreaks.
The other problem is that regardless of whether the shortage is real or propaganda, the Japanese government makes it very difficult to buy foreign rice. Imported rice could provide relief but you can’t find it. I have access to shop on US bases because I’m a veteran. There is high quality US grown short grain rice, which is what the Japanese prefer, for about 500 yen a kilogram. And long grain California rice and Thai rice that is much cheaper, but not as tasty as short grain rice. Japan could make more imported rice available but then the farmers in Japan wouldn’t be able to fail to meet the country’s food demand and get rewarded with more money. New weather patterns from climate change require farmers to grow more heat resistant strains of rice. The farmers, in typical Japanese fashion, would rather have a root canal with no anesthetic than change even the smallest thing.
The other problem is that regardless of whether the shortage is real or propaganda, the Japanese government makes it very difficult to buy foreign rice. Imported rice could provide relief but you can’t find it. I have access to shop on US bases because I’m a veteran. There is high quality US grown short grain rice, which is what the Japanese prefer, for about 500 yen a kilogram. And long grain California rice and Thai rice that is much cheaper, but not as tasty as short grain rice. Japan could make more imported rice available but then the farmers in Japan wouldn’t be able to fail to meet the country’s food demand and get rewarded with more money. New weather patterns from climate change require farmers to grow more heat resistant strains of rice. The farmers, in typical Japanese fashion, would rather have a root canal with no anesthetic than change even the smallest thing.