Japanese rice farmers jump onto burgeoning whisky bandwagon
They are planting barley - used to make malt for whisky production - after their rice and buckwheat harvests
Tokyo
JAPAN'S burgeoning whisky business is driving rice farmer Hiroshi Tsubouchi to hit the booze.
With domestic rice consumption sliding, Mr Tsubouchi, 36, said that he is getting on the whisky bandwagon - or, at least, switching to the barley used to make it. With Japanese whiskies ranking among the best - and most expensive - in the world, the profits of the local distillery industry are beginning to flow to the country's farmers.
BT is now on Telegram!
For daily updates on weekdays and specially selected content for the weekend. Subscribe to t.me/BizTimes
Consumer & Healthcare
IndoAgri appoints former EDB chairman Philip Yeo as chairman and lead independent director
GSK profit drops 23% in Q1 on higher costs
Starbucks points to weaker consumer as profit falls
Restaurant Brands tops estimates as Burger King overhaul pays off
Walmart to shut all health centers in US over lack of profitability
Coca-Cola raises annual sales forecast on global demand, higher prices