Korea Forest Service Supports Purchase Funds for Dried Persimmon Raw Materials in Sancheong-gun

Deputy General Manager Choi Byung-am's Field Visit to Astringent Persimmon Farms
Proposal to Support Attraction of County New Variety Cultivation Pilot Project

Choi Byung-am (center), Deputy Director of the Korea Forest Service, listening to an explanation during an on-site visit to astringent persimmon farms in Sancheong-gun managed by the Korea Forest Service. (Photo by Sancheong-gun)

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Soon-kyung] The Korea Forest Service visited Sancheong-gun, Gyeongnam Province, to visit farms cultivating astringent persimmons, the raw material for dried persimmons, and promised to support the purchase funds for raw persimmons, which are experiencing supply shortages.

On the 21st, according to Sancheong-gun and the Korea Forest Service, about 10 officials including Choi Byung-am, Deputy Director of the Korea Forest Service, and officials from the Gyeongnam Provincial Forest and Greenery Division visited the farm of Jo Hyeong-seop (71 years old) located in Won-ri, Sicheon-myeon, toured the site, and held a meeting.

On that day, Choi Ho-rim, Chairman of the Jirisan Sancheong Dried Persimmon Producers Association, said, "This year, due to low temperature damage, a long rainy season, typhoons, and other worst climate conditions, there are difficulties in securing raw persimmons for dried persimmons," and requested support for purchase funds for raw persimmons.

In response, Deputy Director Choi Byung-am of the Korea Forest Service replied on site, "We will strive to first provide support by identifying the remaining balance from other regions."

At the subsequent meeting, Lee Jae-geun, Mayor of Sancheong-gun, requested, "Please support us in attracting the Korea Forest Service’s public project, the ‘Forest New Variety Cultivation Complex Pilot Project,’ to revitalize our county’s key project, the herbal medicine industry."

According to the county, the Sancheong Herbal Kukjippong Agricultural Cooperative Corporation’s Kukjippong tree, ‘San-eumdong-ui Mok,’ recently developed through research and development, was registered as a ‘new variety’ by the Korea Forest Service’s National Forest Variety Management Center.

Deputy Director Choi of the Korea Forest Service said, "Sancheong has a natural environment suitable for dried persimmon production," and added, "We will do our best to provide maximum support so that difficulties caused by COVID-19 and abnormal climate conditions can be overcome." He also added, "Regarding the proposal related to the new Kukjippong variety, I think it is a good item. We will review it positively."