Geochang-gun Begins First Rice Planting of the Year in Wolgyedeul

Scheduled to be shipped with newly harvested rice from late August before Chuseok

First Rice Planting of the Year in Wolgye Fields
[Image Source=Geochang-gun]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Soon-kyung] Geochang-gun, Gyeongnam Province, started the first rice transplanting of the year on the 6th at Wolgyedeul, Mari-myeon, two days later than last year.

On that day, Lee Chang-geun (65), a farmer from Wolhwa Village, Mari-myeon, transplanted early-maturing rice variety Jo-pyeong-byeo on an area of 8,000㎡ (2,420 pyeong), marking the official start of this year's farming season.

Jo-pyeong-byeo is contracted with RPC for sale before Chuseok and participates in early cultivation.

It is a variety resistant to rice blast, bacterial leaf blight, and stripe leaf blight, with a yield of 542 kg per 10 ares.

Since pre-harvest sprouting is a concern during the rainy season at harvest time, timely transplanting and harvesting are crucial for this variety.

If farming proceeds on schedule without abnormal weather, the harvest is expected in late August before Chuseok and will be shipped as new rice.

Gu In-mo, the mayor of Geochang-gun, said, “I visited the transplanting site on the day to encourage farmers, and with the full-scale farming season underway, we will focus on supporting timely transplanting and providing farming guidance to increase farmers' income and ensure a bountiful harvest without any setbacks.”

Meanwhile, the county supports farmers by providing differential subsidies for rice seed supply, soil amendments (silica), organic fertilizers, seedling soil, rice seed disinfectants, seedling box pesticides, and eco-friendly snail control for weed management to produce high-quality rice. They also plan to conduct aerial pest control for rice diseases and pests through support for joint farming operation fees.