2017 Volume 35 Issue 1 Pages 67-74
With the rise of the food service and prepared food industries, rice consumption in restaurants is much greater than that at homes. Accordingly, the food service industry and the prepared food industry are expected to play an important role in the future of rice consumption. Expansion of rice demand in the food service industry and prepared food industry indicates that agricultural cooperatives require conversion. After conducting some surveys of rice traders, this study clarifies their requests and expectations for producing center agricultural cooperatives. Results confirmed that rice traders want to deal directly with agricultural cooperatives. Therefore, agricultural cooperatives must not continue to emphasize unpolished rice, (1) reform rice production and distribution to improve business income and Increase rice prices, (2) expand handling lots, (3) allow direct rice sales, and (4) expand commercial rice production. To expand the handling lots, the agricultural cooperatives must stop selling rice and instead integrate local agricultural cooperatives, establish rice-processing facilities, order-receiving systems, and shipping systems. Furthermore, although the agricultural cooperatives serve as rice sellers now, they must put effort into taking commercial rice production measures. A good opportunity exists now to convert sales strategies to sell so-called milled rice directly to the food service industry and prepared food industry and to undertake reforms to increase revenues. Direct sales of milled rice help to maintain rice production and productivity, which presents an unavoidable problem related to activating production centers.
