Jeon Nam Provincial Assemblyman Lee Cheol Demands Budget Allocation for 'Non-Cereal Crop Cultivation Support Project'

Lee Cheol, Jeonnam Provincial Assembly Member

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Jun-gyeong] Lee Cheol, a member of the Jeonnam Provincial Assembly (Democratic Party of Korea·Wando 1), strongly demanded on the 24th that the ‘Budget for the Paddy Field Crop Diversification Support Project’ be allocated without interruption.

According to Assemblyman Lee Cheol on the 24th, the government has been providing a certain amount of support since 2018 to prevent excessive rice production by encouraging the cultivation of other crops, and last year, support was also given for fallow land.

However, this year, the project area of about 50,000 hectares was reduced to 20,000 hectares, and the budget of 81.6 billion won was cut to 54.4 billion won. Furthermore, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs’ requested budget of 31.1 billion won for next year was completely cut by the Ministry of Economy and Finance.

At the 348th regular session of the Jeonnam Provincial Assembly, Assemblyman Lee Cheol, through a representative proposal, stated, “The ‘Paddy Field Crop Diversification Support Project,’ which has achieved results in stabilizing rice supply and improving field crop payments, must continue,” and urged, “The government and the National Assembly should promptly allocate the budget.”

He added, “Farmers have established the basic production infrastructure such as drainage channels and mechanization for crop cultivation, but if support is discontinued, everything will return to square one. It is obvious that all participating farms, including agricultural corporations that have signed lease contracts for several years and cultivate other crops, will suffer damage.”

He also emphasized, “If the government needs to abolish the project, it should carefully review whether the performance is low or if there is similarity or duplication, and promote alternatives or deferral systems to minimize damage,” and stressed, “The project must be included in next year’s government budget to ensure its continuation.”