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Declining Population Impacts Consumption

According to USDA, South Korea’s government is taking steps to stop the price of rice from falling and to slow over-production. There will be payments to farmers for reducing planted area by 5.1 percent, and increased government purchases of rice at more than one-fifth of the crop. The problem is not increased productivity since rice yields are trending smaller. Instead, it is declining consumption caused by both a falling population count, and the increased uptake of wheat. South Korean rice consumption has fallen 15.6 percent since its peak in 2017/18. Over that same period, wheat uptake has increased a nearly identical 15.5 percent. Declining population will also begin to impact consumption patterns in Japan, China, and several co...

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