Gwangyang-si to Expand Supply of Multipurpose Small Agricultural Machinery Next Year

549 Units Supplied This Year... 800 Million Won Invested Next Year to Support 641 Units

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Hyung-kwon] Gwangyang City announced on the 27th that it will significantly expand the supply of multipurpose small agricultural machinery next year to address labor shortages caused by the aging rural population and to improve the efficiency of farming operations.

The "Multipurpose Small Agricultural Machinery Support Project" prioritizes small-scale farms such as women farmers, elderly farmers, and returnees to farming, providing machinery for low-mechanization rate field crop sowing and harvesting, as well as small agricultural machinery.

This year, the city invested a total budget of 740 million KRW to supply 549 units of multipurpose small agricultural machinery, and plans to support a total of 641 units with a budget of 800 million KRW next year.

So far, the city has secured additional project funds annually on its own as well as through provincial support projects to supply extra small agricultural machinery. Since 2009, it has invested 7.4 billion KRW in project funds to supply 3,224 units of multipurpose small agricultural machinery.

Until this year, 50% of the purchase cost of agricultural machinery over 700,000 KRW was supported up to a maximum of 2 million KRW per farm, but from next year, the standard will be relaxed to a minimum of 300,000 KRW machinery, and support will increase up to 3 million KRW, allowing more benefits to reach farmers.

Eligibility for support is for farmers residing in Gwangyang City, and applications will be accepted at the local eup, myeon, and dong offices in January next year.

Lee Sam-sik, Director of Agricultural Support Division, said, "Next year, with more project funds secured, we expect to supply agricultural machinery to all eligible applicant farmers," adding, "We will continue to expand the multipurpose small agricultural machinery supply project, which has received positive responses from farmers in line with the aging and feminization trends of rural labor."