- Japan is facing a rice shortage due to extreme weather conditions that devastated last year’s crop, leading to the lowest rice inventories in 25 years.
- High temperatures and dry conditions during the summer reduced yields and damaged grain quality, worsening the situation.
- Saitama, one of Japan’s hottest regions, is at the forefront of efforts to combat this issue by developing heat-resistant rice varieties.
- Heat disrupts starch accumulation in rice grains, resulting in lower quality and reduced market value, which directly impacts farmers’ incomes.
- A new heat-resistant variety called “Emihokoro” or beaming smile.
- ‘Emihokoro’ is engineered to sustain stable growth and yield under higher temperatures.
Dig Deeper: Read about India’s recently launched weather-resistant, high-yield crop varieties.
