Excessive Radiation Levels on Fukushima Rice

An analysis of a sample of rice from Fukushima showed excessive levels of radioactive cesium, Japanese officials said.

Ready to collect rice plants with a radioactive level of 500 becquerel per kilogram (above the limit of 200 becquerels established by the Japanese government) were detected by the Agriculture Ministry in Nihonmatsu.

To prevent the contaminated rice to reach supermarkets, the Ministry will raise the level of control (38 to 300) of this province of Fukushima that is 55 kilometers away from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant,.

Since the start of the worst nuclear crisis since Chernobyl, farmers, ranchers and fishermen in Fukushima province have been severely affected by the problems of radioactive material accumulated in vegetables, meat or water near the nuclear plant, as their marketing incomes have dropped significantly.