Japan's rice harvest index for 2004 worsened to a "slightly poor" rating as of Oct. 15 from "average" as of Sept. 10 due to typhoons in the one-month period that disrupted rice harvests in Kyushu and other areas, the farm ministry said Tuesday.
The Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry said that the nationwide average of rice harvest indexes stood at 98 as of Oct. 15 against a base of 100 for an average year. It was 101 as of Sept. 10.
The ministry had given an "average" reading for September due to high temperatures and sunny weather.