社説：新米調査と取引 もう失敗は許されない

(Mainichi Japan) August 13, 2011
Gov't urged to take appropriate measures to ensure safety of rice
社説：新米調査と取引　もう失敗は許されない

The government has come under mounting pressure to ensure food safety as consumers' confidence in what they eat has declined considerably due to the ongoing crisis at the tsunami-hit Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant.
The government needs to take prompt action as rice is currently being harvested in Chiba Prefecture and other areas where rice is grown earlier than other districts.
　千葉県など早場米の産地で、新米の収穫が進んでいる。一方、東京電力福島第１原発事故による放射能汚染の影響で、「食の安全」に対する消費者の信頼は揺らいでいる。「安全な新米を安心して食べたい」。そんな国民の願いに応えるため、政府に万全の備えを求めたい。　

Consumer concerns about food safety have grown after the national and local governments failed to prevent beef contaminated with radioactive cesium from the crippled nuclear plant from hitting the market.
　食品への消費者の不安感は、国や自治体が、放射性セシウムに汚染された肉牛の流通を食い止められなかったことで一段と高まった。

As it reflects on the problem, the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister has decided to conduct a two-phase survey on rice harvested this year in 17 prefectures -- mainly in the Tohoku and Kanto regions -- to see if rice is contaminated with radioactive cesium.
　そこで、農水省は、東北、関東中心の１７都県を対象に、今年産のコメについて、収穫の前後２段階で、放射性セシウムに汚染されていないか、調査する。

The ministry will ban the marketing of rice from regions where radioactive cesium that exceeds the upper limit set by the government is detected in the second phase of the survey and will order that all rice in such regions be discarded.
収穫後の本調査で、暫定規制値を超えた地域のコメは出荷停止にし、廃棄を義務付ける。

The ministry's decision to conduct double-checks to prevent the marketing of tainted rice should be appreciated.
汚染された肉牛流通の反省から、二重チェックで、汚染米の流通を阻止しようという構えは、評価したい。

The Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry says that cesium in excess of the upper limit will not likely be detected in newly harvested rice as it has banned farmers in some areas in Fukushima Prefecture -- where high levels of radioactive cesium were detected in soil -- from growing rice and vegetables.
　農水省は、土壌の放射性セシウム値が高かった福島県の一部地域に対して、作付けを禁止しているため、新米から暫定規制値を超えるセシウムが検出される可能性は低いとの認識を示している。

However, if rice, Japan's staple food, is found contaminated with cesium, it will have a serious impact on people's lives.
Therefore, the government must not repeat the same mistake that allowed cesium-contaminated beef cows to be shipped.
　しかし、汚染が主食のコメにまで及べば、国民生活への影響は極めて深刻になるだけに、失敗は許されない。

A growing number of local bodies that are not subject to national government rice inspections -- such as the Kyoto and Hyogo prefectural governments -- have begun to voluntarily check rice newly harvested in their areas for radioactive substances.
京都府や兵庫県など、国の検査対象になっていない西日本の自治体でも、自主的に新米の放射能チェックを実施する動きが広がっている。

In order to ensure food safety and security for consumers, the government should extend necessary assistance for such voluntary efforts being made by local governments.
消費者の安心・安全のため、政府には、こうした取り組みに対しても必要な支援を求める。

Amid growing concerns about the safety of newly harvested rice, futures transactions in rice were resumed at the Tokyo Grain Exchange (TGE) and the Kansai Commodities Exchange in Osaka on Aug. 8 -- for the first time in 72 years.
　一方、新米への不安感が払拭（ふっしょく）されない中で今週、コメの先物取引が東京穀物商品取引所（東京）と関西商品取引所（大阪）で、７２年ぶりに復活した。

Rice prices are supposed to be determined through negotiations between producers and distributors. In fact, however, agricultural cooperatives that account for roughly 60 percent of rice being marketed across the country take the initiative in determining rice prices. Rice prices also fluctuate largely depending on harvest conditions.
　コメの価格は、生産者と流通業者との交渉で決めるが、実際は流通量の約６割を占める農協が価格決定の主導権を握り、作況などによる変動幅も大きい。

Futures transactions are aimed at increasing transparency in determining prices and minimizing producers and distributors' losses by openly fixing prices in the market in advance.
そこで、あらかじめ市場で価格を決めることで、価格決定の透明性を高めるとともに、生産者や流通業者の将来の損失を抑えるのが、先物取引の目的だ。

However, transactions fell through in Tokyo on the first day because the TGE was flooded with high-priced orders for rice and rice prices rose far above the standard price it set.
　ところが、取引初日の８日は高値の注文が相次ぎ、東京では取引所が定めた基準価格を大きく上回ったため、取引が成立しなかった。

Behind the move appears to be investors' anxiety that the amount of newly harvested rice to be marketed will decrease because of radiation concerns.
放射能汚染の影響で、新米の供給が減るとの懸念が背景にあると思われる。

The market has gradually calmed down, but futures prices of rice remain at high levels.
　市場はやや落ち着きを取り戻しているものの、その後も高値水準が続いている。

If this trend is reflected in the spot prices of rice, it could deal a serious blow to consumers.
この傾向が現物の価格に影響を及ぼすことになれば、消費者の台所を直撃しかねない。

It is hoped that the rice futures transactions market will develop into one that will stabilize farmers' incomes without being swayed by short-term speculative moves and form prices that can reassure consumers.
　短期的な投機の動きに惑わされず、生産者の営農を安定させ、消費者も安心できる価格が形成される市場に育つよう望みたい。

毎日新聞　2011年8月13日　2時31分（最終更新　8月13日　21時38分）