TOKYO -- Japanese rice farmers are expanding production of new, pricier brands, a move to shore up income as consumers eat less of the staple.
The output of 10 leading brands introduced in 2015 through 2018 is set to more than double this year to a little over 50,000 tons, a survey of prefectures found. Shinnosuke, from the famed rice-growing region of Niigata Prefecture, is set to post a 120% increase to 11,000 tons. Niigata is focusing on marketing the new grain in greater Tokyo, looking to boost name recognition in the country's largest market.
