２１年産米、作付け６．５万ヘクタール減　価格急落回避の公算―農水省

　農林水産省は２９日、２０２１年産の主食用米について、全国の作付面積が６月末時点で前年実績（約１３６万６０００ヘクタール）より最大６万５０００ヘクタール減る見込みになったと発表した。作柄を平年並みと仮定すると、生産量は６９４万トンと比較可能な１９５８年以降で初めて７００万トンを下回る見通し。人口減少に加え、コロナ禍に伴う外食需要減退で在庫が積み上がる中、米価の大幅下落は回避できそうだ。
　農水省が同日開いた審議会の部会で、最新の「米穀の需給および価格の安定に関する基本指針」を定めた。この中で、２１年産米の作付面積が６万２０００～６万５０００ヘクタール減るとの見込みを明らかにした。
　農水省は、価格安定には作付面積を６万７０００ヘクタール削減し、生産量を６９３万トンにする必要があるとみている。主食用米から飼料用米などへの転作に手厚い補助金を出す支援策が後押しとなり、目安にほぼ到達するめどが立った形だ。（2021/07/29-12:12）

Rice paddies for the grain as a staple food in Japan are projected to decrease in 2021 by up to 65,000 hectares from the previous year, the agriculture ministry said Thursday.
   The estimate was as of the end of June. Assuming an average year harvest, the ministry expects the country's rice production this year to total 6.94 million tons, the first annual figure below 7 million tons since comparable data became available in 1958.
   The projected lower output is seen preventing rice prices from declining steeply at a time when domestic rice inventories are piling up due to the country's falling population and a drop in demand for eating out amid the novel coronavirus crisis, analysts said.
   At a meeting of a subcommittee of a relevant council Thursday, the ministry adopted a new basic policy for ensuring stability in the rice supply-demand balance and prices of the grain. In the policy, the ministry said that fields for rice to be grown this year are estimated to decrease by 62,000-65,000 hectares from the 1,366,000 hectares in 2020.
   The ministry believes that an annual rice output cut to 6.93 million tons through a 67,000-hectare reduction in rice fields is needed for stabilizing rice prices. The ministry is now on course to achieve the target thanks chiefly to its program of providing lucrative subsidies to farmers converting their paddies for rice for human consumption to those for rice as animal feed and to fields for other crops.