Sri Lanka, July 21 -- Japan is grappling with rice shortages and price hikes, forcing it to ramp up imports.

Just across the sea, South Korea is facing the opposite problem - an overwhelming surplus that has driven prices so low, some regions are practically giving rice away.

As shortages and surpluses hit wallets and livelihoods, the instability of rice supply could have an impact far beyond the dining table, said observers.

TACKLING OVERSUPPLY

Farmer Park Geun Sik spent his life working the land in Haenam, a farming town in South Jeolla province, about 330km south of Seoul.

When he started, everything from planting seedlings to threshing rice was done by hand. Rice was so scarce that there were designated no-rice days banning its s...