The nation's biggest rice farmers' lobby plans to propose that a government-backed rice-stockpile entity be created to buy surplus rice using both government subsidies and annual contributions from all growers, according to officials of the group.

The Central Union of Agricultural Cooperatives (JA Zenchu) came up with the proposal to create what it calls a "stockpile organization for rice processing," union officials said.

JA Zenchu plans to formally adopt the proposal at a meeting of directors slated for Sept. 5 before pressing the government to introduce it, the union officials said.