Pal System Consumers' Cooperative Union (Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Atsuyuki Shibusawa) will begin accepting new applications for its "Reserved Registered Rice" for the 2026 harvest starting Tuesday, March 31st. While the 2025 harvest saw a halt in new applications at the planting stage due to supply anxieties caused by the "Reiwa Rice Shortage," applications will now fully resume following an additional recruitment period in February. This system, born from the rice shortage caused by poor harvests in 1993 and boasting over 30 years of history, received the "Good Design Award" in fiscal year 2023. It is a "mechanism to protect the future rice paddies" where users' "one-year regular purchase commitment" supports producers' stable rice cultivation, and in times of poor harvest or emergencies, it ensures priority delivery. It is a system where direct producer relationships and dining tables support each other.

The Value of "Commitment" in an Era of Supply Uncertainty

"Reserved Registered Rice" is a system where users commit to a one-year reservation for new rice from the current year before planting, with rice delivered regularly on a four-week cycle. Users can combine weight and brands to suit their individual dining needs. Currently, approximately 200,000 households utilize this service with Pal System.

Producers can focus on environmentally friendly agriculture with the stability of knowing their "destination is decided." Users can receive rice preferentially and at a stable price even when the market is experiencing shortages. This allowed for deliveries to registered users during the tight rice demand of the 2024 "Reiwa Rice Shortage" and the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011.

Two New Production Areas Added

This year, two new production areas have joined the "Reserved Registered Rice" program. JA Minami Uonuma (Niigata Prefecture) offers "Eco-Uonuma Koshihikari," and JA Iwate Hanamaki (Iwate Prefecture) offers "Eco-Iwate Hitomebore." This year, you can choose from the following production areas and brands:

Reserved Registered Rice Brand

Production Area

Eco-Niigata Koshihikari

Niigata Prefecture: JA Niigata Kagayaki, JA Echigo Joetsu, J

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  • Source: PR TIMES
  • Category: News