Gurye-gun to Distribute 8 Billion KRW in Basic Public Interest Direct Payments

Payment of 7.97 Billion KRW Confirmed for Basic Public Direct Payments to 4,752 Farms
Small-Scale Direct Payment of 1.2 Million KRW, Area-Based Direct Payment Rates Applied by Tier

[Gurye=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yuk Mi-seok] Jeollanam-do Gurye-gun (Governor Kim Soon-ho) announced on the 1st that it has paid a total of 7.97 billion KRW in basic public interest direct payments to 4,752 farms confirmed as eligible for payment to stabilize agricultural income.

The public interest direct payment system, implemented under the "Agriculture and Rural Public Interest Direct Payment Act," is a subsidy program that supports farmers to promote the public interest functions of agriculture and rural areas and to stabilize the income of farmers, divided into the basic type public interest direct payment (small-scale farmer direct payment, area direct payment) and the selective type public interest direct payment (landscape conservation direct payment, eco-friendly direct payment, etc.).

The small-scale farmer direct payment is provided annually at 1.2 million KRW to the head of an agricultural management entity regardless of area if all eight small-scale farmer payment requirements are met: cultivation area of 0.5ha or less, residence in rural areas for more than three years prior to the application year, farming engagement for more than three years, and total non-agricultural income of household members below 45 million KRW, among others.

The area direct payment applies to those who meet the public interest direct payment requirements but are not eligible for the small-scale farmer direct payment. It is divided into three sections based on the application area: over 0.5ha up to 2ha, over 2ha up to 6ha, and over 6ha, with payment rates applied per section.

Meanwhile, starting this year, farms that fail to comply with 17 public interest direct payment requirements, such as maintaining farmland shape and function and adhering to safe pesticide use, will have 10% of their total payment amount reduced before payment.

Gurye-gun received applications from eligible recipients from April to the end of May to confirm direct payment eligibility. From June to November, in cooperation with the Agricultural Products Quality Management Service, they completed compliance inspections for the 17 requirements and finalized the recipients. Only confirmed recipients were paid the basic public interest direct payment the day before.

The total confirmed farms this time are 4,752, covering a total area of 3,636ha. The number of farms increased by 25 compared to the previous year, while the area decreased by 81ha.

Kim Soon-ho, Governor of Gurye-gun, said, "In a year burdened by COVID-19 and natural disasters, I hope that the basic public interest direct payment will help stabilize the management of small and medium-sized farms even a little."

Meanwhile, the county plans to steadily promote and maintain interest to ensure smooth implementation of next year's basic public interest direct payment program, as there will be many changes compared to this year, such as the preparation of farming diaries and promotion of village community activities.

Gurye=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yuk Mi-seok kun5783@asiae.co.kr