Japan: Grain and Feed Update
Given competitive prices for imported feed grains (particularly for corn) and DDGS, Japanese demand is expected to remain strong in 2017/18, with corn imports again forecast to total 15.2 million MT. Favorable weather, resulting in improved Japanese wheat production, is expected to lead to a small reduction in imports (100,000 MT). Japanese rice production is estimated to decrease 2.3 percent in 2017/18 as a result of reduced planting area and poor weather in certain parts of the country. With an anticipated increase in the price for domestically produced rice, demand for imported rice is expected to be strong in 2017/2018. Japanese demand for beta-glucan “waxy barley” continues to grow.
