Aeon Co., the nation¡¯s largest supermarket chain, now plans to become the nation¡¯s largest rice grower.
Starting with 11 hectares of rice paddies leased from local farmers, its Aeon Agri Create Co. farming subsidiary is due to begin production at a site north of Tokyo in Saitama Prefecture next year, Aeon spokesman Norihito Ikkai said.
Chiba-based Aeon, which sells everything from fresh food to bicycles in its 424 stores, aims to lease 100 hectares ¡ª almost 50 times the average farmer¡¯s plot ¡ª by 2020.
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