Shoppers in Japan have been facing rice shortages at retailers as the average wholesale price rose sharply in August. The agriculture ministry says industry cooperatives sold all varieties of rice produced in 2023 to wholesalers at just above 16,000 yen, or 114 dollars, per 60 kilograms on average. That's a rise of 17 percent from a year earlier. The price is the highest for August since the survey began with rice harvested in 2006. Demand from inbound tourists increased, while the supply fell due to heatwaves in the summer of last year. Many people bought rice at supermarkets to stock up for earthquakes and storms, leading to further shortages. The shortages are easing in Tokyo as newly harvested rice begins arriving in stores. But prices are 50 percent higher than last year.
◆on average 平均で based on a calculation about how many times something usually happens, how much money someone usually gets, how often people usually do something etc