Japan: Buying tenders for barley postponed after tainted rice sales scandal

Japan plans to postpone buying tenders for rice, wheat and barley until measures are taken to protect consumers from tainted products, Bloomberg cited an Agriculture Ministry official on September, 19.

The nation will destroy or ship back to the country of origin any grain contaminated with mold or pesticide, Masaaki Okuhara, director general at the staple food department, said in an interview. Japan has set no date for tenders to resume.

The country has been hit by a scandal over sales of tainted foreign rice to domestic food companies and restaurants. It was reported that the nation's Agriculture Minister Seiichi Ota and Vice Agriculture Minister Toshiro Shirasu will leave their posts over the scandal.

23 September, 2008