IWAKUNI, Yamaguchi -- Asahi Shuzo Co., famous as the brewer of Dassai brand sake, has stepped up sales of its Yamada Nishiki rice to be used as food, instead of in the production of sake amid a decline in sake consumption as many eateries remain closed due to the spread of novel coronavirus infections.
Yamada Nishiki is considered the most suitable rice variety for sake brewing and is called "the king of sake rice."
According to an estimate by the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry, roughly 34,500 tons were grown nationwide last year, which was used in a number of sake breweries across the country, including Asahi Shuzo in Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture.
However, Asahi Shuzo saw its March and April sales halved from the average year after an increasing number of eateries across the nation decided to temporarily shut down business operations due to the pandemic. The current situation has also affected the demand for Yamada Nishiki, as farmers have been flooded with order cancellations, according to the National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations' Hyogo prefectural office. Hyogo Prefecture accounts for about 60% of the nationwide Yamada Nishiki production volume.
With this in mind, Asahi Shuzo President Kazuhiro Sakurai, 43, raised the idea of selling the Yamada Nishiki rice produced by farmers across the country with whom the brewery has contracts in a bid to "prevent farmers from having their businesses closed for good and leaving their fields abandoned."
A bag containing 450 grams of rice is available for 375, yen including tax, on the Dassai brand's homepage and stores that carry their products nationwide.
This particular rice variety is less sticky than ordinary rice in Japan and is recommended for cooking dishes, such as risotto and fried rice.
"Our rice was grown with special care. I'll be grateful for any support we get in overcoming this crisis," said Nakahira Murata, 63, a Yamada Nishiki producer.
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