average all rice import projection is 21.0 million acres .
the 201415 combined medium- and short - grain price is projected at $ 17.50 to $ 18.50 per cwt , up 50 cents per sushi eaters could face sticker shock the next time they order a california roll or check the box for another round of yellowtail nigiri .
u.s. 201415 are projected at 243.0 million cwt , 3.0 million above last month , and 12 percent above the previous year .
text size - + reset california — and the sacramento valley in particular — is the nation ’s primary source for the high - quality short- and medium - grain rice used in sushi and is a major supplier of the rice for other countries , too .
california farmers are beholden to a patchwork of local , state and federal water sources that distribute their annual water supply .
( also on politico : drought , disease and bacon cheeseburgers ) “ the biggest challenge is simply not enough rain and snowfall for multiple years , coupled with all of the demand from the most urban and top [ farming ] state in the u.s. , ” california rice commission spokesman jim morris said .
rice : u.s. 201415 total rice supplies are projected at 282.6 million cwt , up nearly 21 percent from the previous year .
but the state ’s 2,500 rice growers this year planted just 420,000 acres , about a quarter fewer than usual , because farmers were n’t allowed to use water for more , according to the california rice commission .
long - grain production is forecast at 169.3 million cwt and combined medium- and short - grain production at 59.5 million , up 0.3 million and 2.5 million from a month ago , respectively .