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rice farming
Trends
- 1Japan swings from rice shortage to surplus in two years▼Japan went from a rice shortage to a rice surplus in two years, due to drought, tourism and the U.S.
Japan has gone from a national rice shortage to a rice surplus within roughly two years. The turnaround is attributed to a combination of factors: drought that squeezed harvests and drove panic buying, a surge in inbound tourism that boosted demand, and pressure linked to the United States, including trade considerations. The reversal is drawing attention to how quickly food supply dynamics can shift and what it means for prices and farm policy.
- 2Kubota unveils agrivoltaic system combining rice farming with solar power▼Kubota agrivoltaic system allows rice farming and combine harvesting beneath elevated solar panels
Kubota has introduced an agrivoltaic system that lets farmers grow rice and harvest it with standard combines beneath elevated solar panels. The setup raises photovoltaic arrays high enough for machinery to work underneath, letting the same land produce both food and electricity. Coverage in energy media is highlighting it as a practical answer to land-use conflicts between agriculture and renewable energy expansion.