reservations

Halloween is coming and the temptation is to put on some terrifying plastic contact lenses. Science has its reservations

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Costumes, scares, moviespassages of terror and also the occasional party is undoubtedly something that we will see in this Halloween nightalthough among all these elements there is a protagonist that can undoubtedly become a risk to our health: colored cosmetic contact lenses. The color of the eyes. To dress up in the most faithful way to the character we want to resemble, eye color may be essential. In the case of Halloween, it may be interesting to have them red or some other color that conveys a feeling of fear, such as those of the famous ‘Valak’ or ‘The Nun‘. But it can undoubtedly be a serious problem for our health. And on many occasions we want something that is economical to be able to dress up and we can choose to buy these contact lenses in a store that is not specialized in these products such as a bazaar. All because to wear it for a while at night you are not going to invest a large amount of money in a special contact lens. But we forget that we are buying a product that will be in contact with our eyes, which are really delicate. Doubts. Ophthalmologist Damián Teillard through his TikTok account It alerts us to all the problems that can arise, such as infections, corneal abrasions, blurred vision or eye fatigue when colored contact lenses are used without adaptation, with poor hygiene or throughout the night. That is why you are committed to making the purchase at an authorized optician to try them the days before. The scientific evidence. But beyond what this ophthalmologist says, we also find a large amount of scientific literature that documents all of these problems. An exampleor we have in the magazine eye that reviews these cosmetic contact lenses and demonstrates the appearance of severe microbial keratitis associated with these products that are purchased without health control. More cases. We have another example in the TFOS report on the impact of contact lenses on the ocular surface, details that their inappropriate use (sleeping with them for example) damages the epithelium, alters the tear film and increases the risk of infection. Something quite common in a situation where many people opt for these contact lenses without having ever worn this product before, so they lack the recommendations to avoid problems when wearing them. In this way, the evidence on periocular cosmetics and ocular surface underlines that makeup and formulations around the eye They can irritate, destabilize the tears and increase discomfort if combined with contact lenses. Elevation of risk. With all this, we can see how buying contact lenses in bazaars or unauthorized websites that have poor quality produces a significant injury that can end in visual loss in the most severe cases. Among these complications we see the keratitis, conjunctivitis or corneal abrasions and ulcers that require ophthalmological treatment in many emergency cases. How to use it correctly. In order to avoid all these problems, the crucial thing is to purchase them from authorized opticians and with the advice of ophthalmological professionals. But you must also follow the basic recommendations for contact lenses, such as sleeping with them, putting them on with clean hands, not sharing them with several people, and always applying makeup after putting on the lenses and removing makeup with them to protect the ocular surface. With all this you can achieve a night of terror but without the eye ending up suffering from the misuse of contact lenses that we find in any bazaar or on the internet. Images | Grégoire Hervé-Bazin In Xataka | There is nothing that makes blue eyes blue. If we want to understand why, we have to turn to physics

There are those who are adding fungi such as cordyceps to coffee to lose weight. Science has many reservations

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Coffee is a food, with numerous positive effects on our body. We get more and more about this Positive coffee actionbut we have determined to improve it adding supplements as proteins either Spirulina. One of the latest trends? Enrich coffee with fungi. So that? To lose weight. And here the evidence is not so clear that this trend of ‘Mushroom Coffee’ is so healthy that invites a coffee with cordyceps to drink. The promise. Eating mushrooms or fungi has nothing weird, but a few years ago we began to see how the food industry It began to add them to other foods to create improved versions of them. One of the first brands that added fungi to the cocoa or coffee was FOUR SIGMICan American company that creates “functional foods” and well -being supplements. That is, coffee is not only coffee: it has a series of additions vegetables to relieve these, support the immune system or accelerate weight loss. The latter is what a more recent grabs Trend in networks like Tiktokthe baptized as ‘Mushroom Coffee’. There are several brands that sell coffee with fungi Cordyceps coffee. The defenders claim that coffee (and other foods) can be enhanced with medicinal fungi whose compounds carry a series of positive effects. Among those fungi are Reishithe León hairhe Maitake or the Shiitake (great in broths)but also the most famous cordyceps. Yes, that parasitic fungus that makes Some ants become ‘zombies‘And what is protagonist of the Apocalypse of ‘The Last of Us’. These fungi can increase energy production and improve metabolic function, helping in the burning of fats. They can also help control hunger, stabilize glucose levels and have Probiotic properties that favor both digestion and nutrient absorption. Market. And it is not a bizarre or the US thing: you can Buy coffee With cordyceps In Amazon If you want the healthy effects of coffee more, Chow they announcegreater energy and improvement in your mental clarity. There are different estimates, but this coffee market is expected to grow at a rate of between 5.4% and 5.7% during the next decade. There are studies that place their value at 1,203.4 million dollars in 2023 with a growth up to 1,833.4 million by 2031. They are considerable figures, but we compare, the estimate of specialty coffee is 62,500 million by 2032 and that of the entire market It will be of 632,000 million for that year. But well, it seems that this trend, little by little, is consolidated and grows. The small print. The logic here seems simple. In the case of protein: if it is a good supplement and coffee is a good food, mixing them works. With fungi and coffee the same thing happens, but something that should not be overlooked: there is a lack of research. The relationship between coffee and weight loss is well documented, being a good stimulating before performing some training and selling the caffeine as supplement. But, although the properties of these fungi are also documented, evidence on coffee with fungi and its action in weight loss or mental well -being is limited. Clinical trials are missing that confirm its direct effectiveness to lose weight and most of those available studies are in animals. Also, as we read in VogueNutritionist Marta Marcè comments that it is not usually specified whether the extract is from the fruiting body (rich in properties) or the roots (less powerful), in addition to using very low doses. And sometimes It is not even the real fungus. Dangers. Although cordyceps has a bad reputation due to fiction products in which it has been the protagonist and its effect on some insectsusually has no health hazards. Cordyceps coffee is approved by the USDA -The United States Department of Agriculture-, but you have to take some things into account. It may produce some allergies in certain people and it is necessary Influence when combining it With other stimulating products or drugs, but most importantly, above all, it is to know where those fungi that supplement chocolate or cocoa. Marketing, already such Because here the danger is how that fungus has been manipulated and the example we have had in Colombia, where a health alert on cordyceps supplements not regulated or fraudulent. And if you dare to try it, be from reliable and out of curiosity, not so much for its numerous promises, that millions move in the other part of the world. Images | Conasi, Four Sigmatic In Xataka | It turns out that the myth that marriage fattens is true. But only for men

The University of Oxford has found reservations of an energy source for 170,000 years. And he has the recipe to exploit them

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In a world that seeks to leave behind fossil fuelsthere is a gas that has begun to be outlined as the promise of A clean future. Its potential as an inexhaustible source of Green energy It has aroused both enthusiasm and frustration: producing it without contaminating is still expensive and technologically complex. However, a group of scientists could have found the key to hydrogen under our feet, from the very depths of the earth. Clean gold underground. We have told it On other occasions. Hydrogen has been long promoted as a key piece in the transition to a future without emissions, but also as an essential resource for modern life: in addition to being a clean fuel, it is indispensable for produce fertilizers that support half of the world’s population. The problem? That 99% that is used today It comes from hydrocarbonswhich represents around 2.4% of global carbon dioxide emissions. With a projected demand of 90 million metric tons in 2022 to some 540 million in 2050the challenge is monumental. Until now, cleanest solutions (Like electrolysis with renewable energies or carbon capture) have failed to be economically competitive. Here appears the new Oxford study Posted in Nature: The earth could have solved the problem for us millions of years ago. An unexplored reservoir. In this way, Oxford researchers together with professors at the University of Durham and Toronto have revealed that the continental cortex of the Earth has generated, throughout the last geological millennium, sufficient hydrogen amounts to supply the energy needs of humanity For at least 170,000 years. This immense reserve, natural and emission free, remains largely trapped undergroundintact. Although until now the measurements were sporadic and scattered, the New job It offers for the first time a coherent framework, a “map” if you want, to locate these reservoirs: a “Exploration recipe” (They call it) that details the types of rock, temperatures, fluids and geological conditions necessary for hydrogen to form, migrate and be trapped in exploitable deposits. The approach is not theoretical: it is designed to guide the commercial search for natural hydrogen globally, with the potential to radically transform existing energy models. Ingredients, processes and threats. Such as Professor Chris Ballentine explained in a statementleader of the study at the University of Oxford, finding hydrogen in the earth’s crust is like baking a sufflé: if one fails in any component (quantity, temperature, time or type of rock), the result will be useless. The study Identify the factors that allow a geological hydrogen system to be viable: from the chemical reactions that generate it, to conditions that destroy itlike the presence of certain underground microorganisms that feed on it. This biological threat, indicated by the co -author Barbara Sherwood Lolar, forces to avoid areas where underground bacteria can consume hydrogen before it can accumulate in usable concentrations. Ubiquitous, diverse and list source. There is much more, since The work It also disassembles previous myths on the origin of hydrogen, discarding as unfeasible the sources from the mantle terrestrial and focusing attention on common formations of the continental cortex. These can be both recent (of some millions of years) as an eldest, and are distributed globallywhich greatly expands the geographical exploration potential. Plus: the crucial, They sayIt is not to find a specific type of rock, but to understand the interaction between the chemical, thermal and historical conditions that favor the generation and storage of gas. From theory to action. Aware of the strategic value of their findings, the authors have founded the Snowfox Discovery Ltd.a company dedicated to locating natural hydrogen reserves with social impact. Its objective is clear: to find competitive, clean and sustainable sources of hydrogen, capable of replacing highly polluting current production and feeding the global energy transition without the need for expensive industrial processes. Yes Geological recipe Developed by these researchers, it can be repeatedly repeated in different regions of the planet, we would be facing the closest to an energy revolution … underground. One that does not require new futuristic technologies or dreams of merger, but simply learn to hear THE SECRETS THAT THE EARTH He has been whispening For hundreds of millions of years. Image | Rita Willaert In Xataka | Green hydrogen consumes huge amounts of water. A new incredibly simple invention allows you to use seawater In Xataka | The doors of green hydrogen from Spain have found its starting point: the Basque Country

Reservations arrive at My Nintendo Store. Switch 2 pack, accessories, video games and more of the new hybrid console

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Although the Nintendo Switch 2 It was hard criticized after your Nintendo Directthe truth is that the new hybrid console has raised an enormous expectation. We have been able to find it to book in the main suppliers, but now we can also do it in the official store. My Nintendo Store has opened the console reservationas well as a good assortment of accessories and video games. We will review which are the most interesting. Of course, it is worth mentioning that the reserves are only accessible to all those who have a subscription to Nintendo switch online. Nintendo Switch 2 by 509.99 eurosif you are going to buy the console and you are interested in ‘Mario Kart World’, with this pack the video game can get a little cheaper. Samsung MicroSD Express Card by 59.99 eurosa practically mandatory card (in Switch 2 those of Nintendo Switch do not work). Piraña Plant Chamber by 39.99 eurosa camera with a good design that can be used with the GameChat function. Donkey Kong Baniza by 69.99 euros (79.99 euros in physical), one of the most interesting video games that will arrive with the launch of the console. Case and protector by 24.99 eurostwo practically essential accessories if you want to take the travel console. Nintendo Switch 2 Nintendo Switch 2 will go on sale for a price of 469 euros (Mediamarkt), but unless we do not want to buy the ‘Mario Kart World’ the most interesting pack is the one that includes the video game, since in this case the price of the pack is 509.99 euros –The digital game would come out for 40 euros-. Of course, Mediamarkt has it for almost a cheaper euro, since in the store we find the pack for 509 euros. Some stores such as Xtralife have launched other packs, although unfortunately in this case it is exhausted. For the moment, The one that includes the Super Mario video game is the one that has the best quality-price ratiobut a lot of eye with being expected because It is a limited pack. Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World * Some price may have changed from the last review Samsung MicroSD Express Card To play the Nintendo Switch 2 we will have to go through the box and buy a MicroSD Express cardsince those of Nintendo Switch will not work. At the moment in my Nintendo Store, Samsung’s can be reserved at a price of 59.99 euros in its 256 GB configuration. However, Xtralife has the card for cheaper cents, since the price in this case is 59.95 euros. Samsung MicroSD Express Card (256 GB) * Some price may have changed from the last review Piraña Plant Chamber The function GameChat It is one of the great novelties of the Nintendo Switch 2. Although almost any camera can be connected, the Hori Piraña Plant It has a most striking design. It is not the best in terms of specifications (its resolution is 640 x 480 pixels), but it is one of the most beautiful. Its price accompanies that we can be interested in it, since it costs 39.99 euros. Piraña Plant Chamber * Some price may have changed from the last review Donkey Kong Baniza The greatest controversy after the presentation of Nintendo Switch 2 has found the price of video games. 90 euros for a game? The truth is that Not everyone will cost the same as ‘Mario Kart World’but the rest of the titles have increased with respect to Nintendo Switch games. At least First Party. ‘Donkey Kong Baniza’ has an official price of 69.99 euros in digital and 79.99 euros in physical. Nevertheless, In stores like Amazon we can find it in physical with a smaller pricesince in this case the store has the video game for 69.90 euros. If, in addition, we are subscribers of Amazon Prime, the shipment leaves for free. * Some price may have changed from the last review Case and protector The protective covers are almost essential accessories if we want to take advantage of the portable format of the Nintendo Switch 2 (or of any other portable console) in order to make any trip. Nintendo has one Official protective case that also includes a screen protector. All this for 24.99 euros. Nevertheless, If what we are looking for is the best price, even with a cents differenceat Amazon we can find the same case with the screen protector by 24.90 euros. In addition, we mention again that if we are Amazon users, the shipment leaves for free. Nintendo Switch 2 Switch case and protector * Some price may have changed from the last review Some of the links of this article are affiliated and can report a benefit to Xataka. In case of non -availability, offers may vary. Image | Nintendo In Xataka | The best accessories for your switch: covers, transport bags, batteries, and more In Xataka | What Micro SD card for Nintendo Switch buy. Better recommendations and 10 outstanding models

60% less reservations in ship containers

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The Commercial War Not only is it felt in the bags and currency markets. Its seismic effect is Said clear In the oceans, where the ships that move navigate More than 80% of the World Commercial. And there is one in particular in which the tariff pulse between Washington and Beijing is noticeable: the Pacific. There logistics companies have already perceived how, after the 145% rates rise imposed by Donald Trump to China, the Container reserves and the maritime traffic that leaves the Chinese ports towards the US He is losing bellows. The big question is: What comes now? From the offices to the ports. International trade has a great operations scenario and is neither the parquet nor the offices of the CEO. No. They are the oceans. United Nations calculates that More than 80% International trade moves by sea, on board ships that may be slower than airplanes, but also offer a much cheaper transport alternative. Hence, when a few weeks ago Trump presented his famous Tariff tablewith a long list of rates for merchandise exports to the US, one of the places where more was felt Its effect were the seas and ports. In early April the container reserves for the United States fell more than 60%. Something expected if you consider that many companies They had advanced Your operations to anticipate the coup. Looking at the Pacific. That first shopping war agated the markets, but soon softened when Trump announced a 90 -day truce which set a global tariff base of “only” 10%. Where the tension was not relaxed in China. Beijing and Washington engaged in a tariff pulse that derived (for the moment) in an escalation of the rates that both countries impose on exports of the other: USA applied 145% To China and this replied with 125%that in some cases, including agricultural products, It rises to 135%. The impact of that rise in costs on the maritime flow of merchandise between the two countries soon noticed. In the middle of the month South China Morning Post (SCMP) I spoke now From a puncture in container traffic on transpacific routes, travel cancellation and a collapse in load reserves for the following weeks between 30% and 60% in China and 10-20% in the rest of Asia. The reason: US tariffs complicated the viability of Chinese exports. And that are major words if one takes into account that, like Remember the CNBCChina represents about 30% of all imports via US container and more than half (54%) of those from Asia. Before the pandemic, in 2018, it even monopolized 67%. There are now transpacific shipping companies in charge of that commercial flow that have resorted to Blank Sailing and canceled trips. Click on the image to go to Tweet. And what is the stage now? Complicated. Hapag-Lloyd German shipping company He just recognized to Five days that has registered a cancellation of reserves “from China to the US” of around 30% and the CNBC warned On Tuesday of a fall in the flow of Chinese ships in the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Specifically, he points out that the southern docks of California have registered a 29% collapse in the traffic of containers with Chinese origin. Yesterday Ryan Petersen, CEO of Flexport, went further and He contributed a fact Even more devastating in X: “In the three weeks after the tariffs, maritime container reserves from China to the United States have decreased more than 60% throughout the industry.” If we talk about forecasts, the flow of ships expected for the week of May 4 to 10 will register a major year -on -year fallof 44%. What does that translate? In many less containers. The week of April 20 those US ports received 22 ships. This week 12. Translated into Teus, the large unit of load measurement, assumes that the week of May 4 to 10 will be 62,668 compared to 120,608 scored from April 20 to 26. Half. “Shipments have interrupted”. “I am hearing direct retailers and manufacturers here in the US that many have interrupted all shipments from China,” Recognize Axios Gene Seroka, executive of the Los Angeles terminal. “It is likely that in the coming weeks we will see two thirds of the normal load, or less.” The expert admits Also a fall of between 8 and 10% in US exports in recent months and does not rule out that the trend is exacerbated by Chinese tariffs. Beyond China. That the commercial war has weighed the demand for containers from China to the US does not mean that the trend is the same for the entire region. On the contrary. Hapag-Lloyd is noticing for example more than reservations from China to the US. In Your interview with Five daysone of its managers, Nils Hauct, also speaks of a “considerable increase” in the volume of reserves from Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand. And it makes enough sense that it is. Not long ago the investment bank Goldman Sachs He already warned that, taking advantage of the 90 -day tariff truce approved by Trump, there are companies that have begun to look for alternatives outside China. And they do it looking at neighboring countries, included in Southeast Asia. “In the short term, the activity in Southeast Asia is recovering due to the production output from China to where there is available capacity,” Write. Moreover, in its report it points out that a part (20%) of Chinese manufacturers have resorted to their facilities outside China to benefit from their tariffs. Are there more consequences? Yes, there are. On other fronts. The puncture in the demand has aggravated the fall in the prices of freight on routes such as Shanghai-Los Angeles. Supply chain Precise That this goes on the rate of container rates for Chinese exports have collapsed 28%, marking their worst exercise start of the last two decades. The commercial war is also felt on other fronts of the logistics sector, such as storage or road transport that … Read more

Gas in record prices with reservations trembling

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We started the month of March and, in the southwest area of ​​Europe, The rains are going to be persistent This month. In a nutshell, the cold is not going to go so fast and we will have to face it with something fundamental in many homes: gas. However, lighting the stove will involve a challenge because gas reserves in Europe are on the verge of freezing. Crisis in Europe. The year began with Russia Cutting the gas supply To Europe, which was circulating through Ukraine. This has caused Europe to have to depend of the American LNGQatarí and Australian, as well as Turkstream Gas Pipeline. However, what really worries is the state of gas reserves, which are 35-40% of their capacity against The price increase and demand for increasingly cold climatic conditions. Reservations. The European Union has several times brought breast certifying that They did not have to depend more on Russia or what The reservations were enough. However, the data has something else to say: gas deposits in Europe They are 35-40% of their maximum capacitya much lower level than previous years that reached between 55-60% at the same time of the year. This situation has resulted from the sum of many factors, such as the loss of Russian supply, a especially cold winter and the lack of renewable generation by he Dunkelflaute. In addition, EU storage policies They have distorted the marketsince the imposed objectives force countries to buy gas at the same time, which raises prices and discouraging from Traders to accumulate reservations during the summer. The problems. After encounter between Zelensky and Trump On February 28, where I don’t know has reached any agreementinternational political tension remains latent. This episode leaves a key uncertainty in the air: if the relationship between the United States and Europe is affected, the American LNG dependence becomes an even greater risk. Europe has been increasingly trusting LNG imports, especially from the United States, as a key source to replace its gas reserves. If the US GNL supply is interrupted or conditioned by political or economic issues, the EU could face a serious gas scarcity. Start opening windows. As the saying says: “When a door closes …”, something like that should be considered in Europe because for next winter the reserves do not know if they will be able to complete, but it has much to offer in clean energy. First, repair the electrical infrastructure because with more than 40 years is time to change it. Then research and implementations in some countries of other alternative energies are paying off, such as The case of Spain and Portugal. Thirdly, start bet on geothermia In countries with colder or even Biomethane. Forecasts. Last night, in England, European leaders They congregated with Zelensky to demonstrate his support to the Ukrainian President and consolidate the unity around the crisis in Ukraine. However, this meeting underlines the fragility of the energy situation in Europe, since any alteration in international relations can translate into a supply problem. Given an increasingly uncertain scenario, the question is whether Europe will get ahead of problems or continue to depend on external factors to guarantee its energy safety. Next winter will be the definitive test: either the energy sources are diversified and the infrastructure is reinforced or the continent will be on the edge of the collapse again. Image | Pxhere Xataka | The US believes to have a “treasure” with the rare earths of Ukraine. Everything is born from a outdated Soviet report 50 years ago

The Xiaomi Su7 Ultra has unleashed madness by registering 7,000 reservations in 10 minutes. They planned to sell 10,000 units throughout 2025

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Xiaomi aspires to sell 10,000 units of your Xiaomi Su7 Ultra. Those were the words of Lei Jun, CEO of the company, a few days ago in his account of the Chinese social network Weibo, as they collect in South China Morning Post. The announcement warmed a little more the event of yesterday, February 27, in which the company was expected to finally reveal all the details of its faster, powerful and radical electric car. The same as has broken the record in the green hell and in Three other circuits. Finally, and although it almost seemed that we already knew everything we could know in advance, Lei Jun in person was by disagreeing All the detailsone by one, what they have in hand. With direct references to Porsche and Tesla He told us that his electric car will be faster and more efficient than German and American models and, if that were not enough, he demonstrated some autonomous driving capabilities that seemed really advanced. And all this for a fraction of its price. Not just that. Also the Xiaomi Su7 Ultra was a car announced at an even cheaper price than expected. And the results did not wait. They wanted to produce 10,000 units … And everything indicates that they will have to expand (if they can) the plans. As we said, Lei Jun affirmed a few days ago that the company hoped to place this number in the market of its most expensive electric car. An electric car that will finally have the following prices: Xiaomi Su7 Ultra: 529,000 Chinese yuan (about 70,000 euros to direct change) Xiaomi Su7 Ultra with the Racing package: 629,000 Chinese yuan (about 83,200 euros to change) Xiaomi Su7 Ultra Nürburgring: 814,900 Chinese yuan (about 107,000 euros) It should be noted that The price of the base model is 34.97% lower to which the first reserves of the car opened when it was announced last October. Then all the characteristics were specified. To get these three versions, there are two ways. The first is to reserve the car for 20,000 Chinese yuan (about 2,700 euros) for seven days. At that time the client can back and guarantee the reimbursement. It is not guaranteed that you want to ensure one of the first units. In that case, the reserve is 40,000 Chinese yuan (about 5,400 euros) but will receive one of the units already manufactured. In addition, if you commission a unit before March 31, “you will be entitled to advantages worth up to 90,000 rmb (12,000 euros) “, in the words of the brand. These prices have led to reservations to shoot. In 10 minutes the company said that 6,900 reservations had already been registered, our colleagues collect Xiaomi world. This does not mean that there have been 7,000 sales but it is confirmed that almost 7,000 people are already thinking about it. The figure gives an idea of back towards the product and the good performance that Xiaomi is taking out at the price of its vehicles. In comparisons they put as a reference to Tesla Model S Plaid, a car that in China is sold for 814,900 Chinese yuan, the same price as the edition Nürburgringthe most radical and in two -seater format. And they were not cut when pointing out that their xiaomi su7 ultra, with the package Racing It already improves the figures of the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT, a car knows for 1,998,000 Chinese yuan (263,046.69 euros). That is, three times more than the price of the “with chucheías” version of the Xiaomi Su7 Ultra. Photo | Lei Jun in X In Xataka | Tesla sales in Europe have sunk 45% and their shares are paying expensive. It’s not even your worst news

The price of rice has raised so much that Japan has had to make an unprecedented decision: resort to its reservations

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Few things reflect to what extent there is a crisis situation that the price of a basic product in the supermarket. In Japan, and in most Asia, Rice is a fundamental pillar of foodsupporting the life of much of the population. However, a combination of factors threatens the essential cereal. In Japan he has never been so expensive, and the government has made an unprecedented decision. Tons of rice. Given the increase in rice due to distribution problems, the Japanese government has announced that, As of March, it will release 210,000 tons from its emergency reserve To stabilize the market. It is, therefore, The first time this reserve is used with the purpose of reducing pricesinstead of doing so for emergencies such as bad harvests or natural disasters. The Minister of Agriculture, Taku Eto, emphasized that rice production has been enough to meet demand, but bottlenecks in the distribution have maintained high prices. In 2024, Production increased by 180,000 tons compared to the previous year. However, the amount collected by distributors fell into 210,000 tons, which suggests that Farmers and wholesalers retained stocks anticipating new price increases. According to researcher Masayuki Ogawa at UTSunomiya University, The mismatch is due to the entry of speculative buyers They have artificially maintained prices without the benefits reaching producers. Crisis factors. As we said at the beginning (And in past weeks), there are several. The price of a five kg package of Japanese rice has risen from 2,023 yen to 3,688 yen in a year. Causes? The 2023 record heat wave reduced agricultural yields and reserves, while consumption increased due to unprecedented tourism. Besides, The warnings of typhoons and earthquakes unleashed panic purchaseswhich led some retailers to limit sales. To this we must add what we commented before. The harvest has not been bad, but quite the opposite, but everything indicates that farmers and wholesalers retained stocks anticipating new price increases. Liberation strategy and expectations. To relieve market pressure, The Ministry will initially auction 150,000 tons of rice to agricultural and wholesale cooperatives, mostly composed of a grain of 2024, with a small part of 2023. Subsequently, another 60,000 tons will be releaseddepending on the impact of the first phase. The auction will take place in mid -March, which means that rice will begin to reach shops between the end of March and April. The main objective is clear: Improve distribution without intervening directly in the market price mechanism. In this regard, Eto reaffirmed the government’s position that Prices must be regulated by supply and demandtrusting that the measure helps normalize the situation. In addition, the Ministry plans to replace (buy “back”) the amount released within the year, with flexibility in the deadlines according to the market reaction. Impact on consumers and industry. While the measure is expected to reduce the price of rice, Ogawa warned that The decrease will not be immediate or uniform at all points of sale. Instead of directly impacting prices in supermarkets, released rice probably is destined for the prepared food industry, such as restaurants, hospitals and schools. What is that reserve of the nation. Japan implemented its rice reservation system in 1995, after the supply crisis caused by an unusually cold summer in 1993. Since then, since then, since then, The government maintains a stock of approximately one million tons and are stored in some 300 facilities nationwide, annually renewing 200,000 tons to guarantee the supply in emergency situations. In fact, a warehouse in Saitama, near Tokyo, allowed access to media before the ad, Showing 20,000 tons of rice, enough to fill 300 million bowls. In the past, these reserves have been used after natural disasters such as the earthquake and tsunami of 2011 in Tohoku and the Lady of Kumamoto in 2016. Now it remains to be seen that the movement has effect and the stabilization in the distribution is containing the price increase In the medium term. Image | Rawpixel In Xataka | In full tourist boom, Japan has encountered a historical rice crisis. Now pay 30% more expensive In Xataka | Japan has no doubt that he approaches a brutal crisis. The cost of cooking your star dish has never been so high

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