Interviews

Why did you decide to produce not only rice but also rice flour and products made from rice flour?

Consumption of rice has been declining year after year, and the act of "cooking" itself has the disadvantage of being tedious and time-consuming, as more and more households have both working parents and their children are getting busier and busier every day. For this reason, even if farmers ask people to eat rice, it is difficult to increase consumption. On the other hand, products made from rice flour, ponzu (Japanese confectionery), and amazake (sweet sake) are new to additive-free consumers and to those who seek gluten-free products, They have become a new option for those seeking gluten-free products, and their market is expanding worldwide. This leads me to believe that we can consider future possibilities by moving away from "selling rice grains" to "selling rice-related products.

What problems do rice farmers currently face?

There are three main categories.
1.The aging of the population and lack of bearers is weakening the foundation of production throughout the region.
2.Investment in work machinery (tractors, combine harvesters, rice transplanters, etc.) is too expensive for prospective new farmers to afford.
That we are in a situation where we can't buy another machine.
3.Sluggish growth in rice consumption, making it difficult to raise the price of rice and make a profit.

Is there any government support for rice production for rice flour?

Support measures for rice flour have been strengthened over the past few years, but they require a region-wide effort and most support measures are geared toward large flour milling companies, so there is nothing available to a single farmer.

Have you noticed any recent changes in the demand for rice flour?

We have a direct sales store once a week (on Saturdays), and every week we have customers who don't like wheat, so we know firsthand that there is interest and interest in rice-flour products.

Which sells better, rice flour itself or products made with rice flour?

Products made with rice flour sell much better.
I wonder if the rice head office is not very aggressive in selling the flour as flour, as they would be competing with the major flour mills that can be found on the supermarket shelves.

What are some of the things you keep in mind when developing products such as rice-flour canele?

・Customers must be able to eat the product as soon as they buy it.
・Ability to ensure some shelf life.
・Must be a popular (familiar) product
・Must be tasty. (Must taste better than, or better than, wheat)
・To convey the characteristics and attractiveness of the rice.

What kind of milling machine do you use to mill the flour into rice flour? （Dry or wet, small or large, etc.）

I have my rice flour milled by an airflow milling (wet milling) plant that specializes in rice flour.

What are you doing to increase demand for rice and rice flour?

In an effort to make the farm more open, we are creating a place where consumers can feel and understand the importance of rice and rice paddies to this country by holding cafes in the rice paddies, CAMPs in the rice paddies, direct sales, and hands-on events to connect consumers with the production scene and to have dialogue with them. (A new facility is also planned to be built. (New facilities are also planned to be built!)

What are some of the things you look for in young people?

First, I would like you to visit the production site. We want you to feel the reality of the production of not only rice, but also fruits, vegetables, seafood, meat, etc., and see for yourself what is really happening that is not reported in the mass media.
I would also like young people to discuss a lot about what should happen to food and agriculture in the future, what issues they think should be addressed and what they should do about it, in terms of self-sufficiency rates and changes in the agricultural population.
We believe that the answer will require cooperation between you, the future generations, and the farmers.