This is Sato Farms. Thank you, as always, for your interest in our "Sato Rice."
Today, we have something important to tell you.
This summer, the weather has been more unsettled than we expected. As we watched the rain continue to fall, we thought, "Somehow, things will work out." We were a little too hopeful.
But now, we have started to see some rice grains change color. Farmers call this "chakashi." It can be seen in only a small number of rice grains, mostly around the edges of the field. It is something we also see in some years. Other farmers' fields have the same problem.
Even so, the rain has continued this year. And it looks like it may continue for some time. As we check the fields every day, we feel that the number of affected grains may be slowly increasing.
Will everything be all right? How will this affect the rice before harvest? And, most importantly, can we make sure the rice is good enough to send to you?
At this point, we feel that we need to be more careful.
Our direct sales system is almost ready. We are also very close to opening it to everyone. But we have decided that now is the time to stop and think.
Before we start selling the rice, we must take care of the fields first.
To be honest, perhaps we started preparing for sales a little too soon. There is not much time left before harvest. There are still things we can do. So, for now, we will focus on taking care of the rice plants and doing our best to bring them to harvest in the best possible condition.
This does not mean that we are giving up on our new direct sales project.
We are simply taking a step back for now.
After the harvest, we will check the rice carefully. When we are sure that we can send you rice with confidence, we will announce the direct sales system again.
Farming does not always go as planned. The weather, the rice plants, and nature do not always follow our plans.
That is why, in the end, we must look at the fields and make the decision. We believe this is our responsibility as people who grow rice.
We're sorry to disappoint those who were looking forward to buying "Sato Rice." Please give us just a little more time.
We will stay close to our fields and see this year's "Sato Rice" through to the end.
Sato Farms