Newly harvested rice is delivered to us with the arrival of autumn. Some people may have been longing for their rice more than in previous years, as many supermarkets ran out of stock as did "rice shops" over this summer.

Extreme summer heat last year has been blamed as one of the reasons for this shortage in rice. This past summer was unusually hot, and such heat can cause high-temperature disorders such as white cloudiness of rice grains. Cracks develop inside rice grains and a high incidence of insect pests such as stink bugs, which can lead to the development of spotted rice. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), in many regions, mainly in eastern Japan, the percentage of rice officially categorized as first-class produced in 2023 was lower than the three-year average from 2018 to 2022 (excluding the lowest and highest years of the five-year period).

Countermeasures are being taken in rice cultivation in response to the effects of climate change such as heat waves. One of these measures is the introduction of “heat-resistant rice varieties” (hereinafter, “heat-resistant rice”). Heat-resistant rice is less susceptible to deterioration than conventional varieties, and the quality and amount produced are better and higher even when grown in high temperatures. In 2010, the acreage where heat-resistant rice was planted was 37,700 hectare (ha) and accounted for just 2.4% of the total acreage as staple food. However, in 2023 this rose to 182,936 ha, a 4.85-fold increase, accounting for as much as 14.7% share. The adoption of heat-resistant rice appears to be progressing particularly in Niigata, Chiba and Yamagata prefectures. Regarding the quality, if we compare the percentage of first-class heat-resistant rice to that of all other rice varieties in each prefecture in 2023, it is revealed that in many prefectures the percentage of first-class heat-resistant rice is higher than all other varieties (including heat-resistant ones). This implies the percentage of rice quality decline is small even in hot years, so it can be said the introduction of heat-resistant rice is effective. In addition, it is expected that the planting of such heat-resistant rice will continue to expand in the future. So, if you encounter rice varieties of unfamiliar names at the rice shops or supermarkets, it may be a newly developed and introduced heat-resistant rice.

It is said that the Chinese character for “rice” was created from the Chinese character for “88”. One of the theories for the origin of this character is that the rice growing process involves 88 different procedures; however, due to advances in technologies, this number may now be far less. Still, I am grateful for the newly harvested rice arriving at our tables, and I never forget the efforts of rice farmers who are battling with the many processes required, and now, more than ever, climate change.

Original in Japanese:
https://www.dlri.co.jp/report/dlri/384929.html