A: Hey there! Did you hear about the latest rice news?
B: No, what's up with it?

A: Well, turns out the price at supermarkets has been dropping for nine weeks straight!
B: Really? How much is a 5-kilogram bag now?

A: It's about 3,585 yen or around $24 these days. That's a tiny decrease from last week.
B: Whoa, that's cheap! I guess the government must have released some rice from their reserves, huh?

A: Exactly! They did it because prices nearly doubled in a year. But now they're dropping at a slower pace.
B: That makes sense. I wonder if there's enough rain for this year's harvest though...

A: You're right! Orikasa, this research guy, mentioned that the hot weather during the rainy season might affect the supply. He says it could reduce this year's new crop.
B: Gosh, let's hope it doesn't get too bad, or we'll have to pay more again!
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The average rice price at supermarkets in Japan has fallen for a ninth straight week.



The agriculture ministry released its weekly survey on about 1,000 supermarkets nationwide.



The average price of a 5-kilogram bag came in at 3,585 yen, or roughly 24 dollars. That's a decline of one-tenth of a percent from the previous week.



Officials began tapping national reserves of rice after prices almost doubled in the space of a year. Following a sharp decline, the sticker price has been dropping at a slower pace in recent weeks.



Orikasa Shunsuke, Principal Researcher at Distribution Economics Institute of Japan, said: "People who want to save money are buying from the government stockpiles, and those who prefer other varieties are buying brand-name rice. The decline in prices is slowing down as more consumers start choosing what they want."



Orikasa points out that unusually hot weather during the recent rainy season may also affect supply. He said the lack of rainfall could reduce this year's new harvest.
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Quiz 1:
The average rice price at supermarkets in Japan has been falling for how many consecutive weeks?
A. Six
B. Seven
C. Eight
D. Nine

Quiz 2:
What is the average price of a 5-kilogram bag of rice at Japanese supermarkets, according to the article?
A. 3,586 yen (roughly 24 dollars)
B. 3,585 yen (roughly 24 dollars)
C. 3,584 yen (roughly 24 dollars)
D. 3,583 yen (roughly 24 dollars)

Quiz 3:
According to Orikasa Shunsuke, who is a Principal Researcher at Distribution Economics Institute of Japan, what has caused the slowing down of the decline in rice prices?
A. Increased consumer demand for brand-name rice
B. Decreased consumer demand for government stockpiles
C. Reduced supply due to unusually hot weather during the recent rainy season
D. Price intervention by the agriculture ministry