TOKYO, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The average prices of rice at supermarkets across Japan reached 4,077 yen per 5 kg (about 27.5 U.S. dollars) in the week ending March 9, nearly doubling from the same period last year amid the government's move to release reserve rice, official data showed Monday.

The latest average price marked a 125-yen increase from the previous week, extending the price hike streak to 10 consecutive weeks, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, which compiles weekly rice price data from approximately 1,000 supermarkets nationwide,

This is the first time that the price has exceeded 4,000 yen since data tracking began in March 2022.

Meanwhile, total rice sales volume has declined by 11.6 percent compared to the same period last year, the data showed.

The Japanese government completed its first auction for reserve rice last week, and the released stock is expected to reach supermarket shelves later this month. Attention is now focused on how the intervention will impact future rice prices. Enditem

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