備蓄米、加工用に来月放出　日本酒やみそ、随意契約で―小泉農水相

　小泉進次郎農林水産相は４日、政府備蓄米を日本酒や焼酎、みそ、米菓などの加工用に８月から放出する方針を明らかにした。随意契約でそれぞれの事業者に売り渡す予定で、販売数量などの詳細は今後詰める。
　２０２５年産米は加工用の作付け減少が見込まれており、酒造業界などからは仕込みが始まる９月中旬ごろまでに備蓄米放出を求める声が上がっていた。小泉氏は農水省で記者団に、「（事業者にとっては）できるだけ早い見通しが必要だ」と述べた。（2025/07/04-22:49）

Japanese agriculture minister Shinjiro Koizumi has said that the government will release its stockpiled rice for use in processed foods and beverages such as miso, rice crackers, sake and shochu distilled spirits, starting in August.
   The rice is planned to be sold to businesses under discretionary contracts. Details including the amount of rice to be released will be decided later.
   The move comes after the government released its stockpiled rice to retailers and others to curb soaring prices of the staple food.
   A recent survey showed that the 2025 acreage for staple food rice was the largest in five years as of the end of April.
   As the 2025 rice crop for processed products is expected to decrease, people including those in the sake brewery industry have been calling for the release of government-stockpiled rice for them by around mid-September, when the brewing process starts.