Rice imports multiply as Chinese consumers worry about food contamination

After infant formula and New Zealand milk, Japanese rice has begun to become one of the items that Chinese consumers buy in large quantities from abroad at high prices, and reports say this is mainly driven by Chinese consumers' worries about contamination in domestic rice.

China's rice imports grew severalfold as consumers worried about food contamination

According to data from the National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations of Japan, China's rice imports from Japan increased by more than 3 times in 2013, a trend showing that Chinese consumers' confidence in their own country's food safety has declined.

A merchant selling Japanese rice on Taobao said, “Chinese farmers use pesticides, while Japanese rice is not contaminated by heavy metals.

The report says industrial pollution has already had a serious impact on China's soil and water quality, and many consumers have been buying reasonably priced and safe Thai rice.

By comparison, Japanese rice is not cheap for most Chinese people, with a price of about 74 yuan per kilogram, while domestically produced Chinese rice sells for about 7.5 yuan.

As consumer demand continues to rise, many Chinese consumers have begun buying rice directly from Japanese sellers through sites such as Taobao. Many consumers say that rice from countries such as Vietnam, Thailand and Japan is safer than domestic rice, with less contamination.