In Asia, where regions are at various stages of economic development, there is an increasing emphasis on quality rather than quantity in the consumption of rice as staple food, and this is bringing about changes in the distribution and food value chain in response to changing preferences. Based on joint research with universities and research institutes in China, JIRCAS has been collecting and analyzing valuable information for the formation of a sound industrial market for rice, which is the most important grain in China.

The result of this joint research is an academic book, originally titled “High-quality Rice - An empirical analysis of Chinese Rice in the consumption upgrade era”, which has been published locally in Chinese by Research Press. This book is a compilation of the results of empirical research using field surveys and statistics, with quality rice as the research subject, against the background of the process of the shift in rice consumption from quantity to quality in China. In the field research, we conducted online surveys of consumers in 10 provinces in the north and south of China, and interviewed farmers in the production area of Wucheng brand rice. We also analyzed the adjustment of the production structure necessary to respond to changes in demand and future trends in food demand.

Reference

周琳・銭小平・程広燕・呉文浩　「優質大米－消費昇級時代的中国大米研究」High-quality Rice-An empirical analysis of Chinese Rice in the consumption upgrade era. (研究出版社)

Contributor: CHIEN Fumika (Social Sciences Division)