Damyang-gun, Completion of Nonghyup Integrated Rice Processing Complex (RPC)

Damyang-gun's Over 12,000 Rice Farming Households Achieve Long-Awaited Project Success

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Kim Chunsu] Damyang-gun in Jeollanam-do and seven local agricultural cooperatives announced on the 21st that the Integrated Rice Processing Complex (hereinafter referred to as Integrated RPC), promoted as part of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs' high-quality rice distribution activation project, held its completion ceremony on the 20th and has begun full-scale operation.

The completion ceremony was held with about 300 attendees, including Choi Hyung-sik, Mayor of Damyang-gun, Park Jong-won, Provincial Assembly member, Jang Seung-young, Director of the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation, Lee Cheon-il, Head of the Agricultural Cooperative Economic Holding Company, Yang Yong-ho, Chairman of the Damyang-gun Agricultural Cooperative Rice Association Joint Business Corporation, local cooperative heads, and farmers.

The high-quality rice distribution activation project has been a long-cherished wish of more than 12,000 rice farming households. To revitalize the Damyang rice industry, the seven agricultural cooperatives in Damyang united their capabilities to establish the "Damyang-gun Agricultural Cooperative Rice Association Joint Business Corporation," investing a total project cost of 12.1 billion KRW and starting the project in January 2021.

The Integrated RPC, covering an area of 16,686㎡, is equipped with an RPC factory, office building, cold storage, general warehouse, large silo, grain dryer, and an eco-friendly agricultural experience center.

The Integrated RPC can process about 15,000 tons annually, including raw material transfer of 60 tons per hour, two brown rice processing lines of 9 tons that separate eco-friendly and general rice, two white rice processing lines of 8 tons, and three packaging lines of 36 tons, which is expected to greatly contribute to strengthening the competitiveness of Damyang rice.

Mayor Choi Hyung-sik said, "Eco-friendly rice from Damyang, known for its clear bamboo forests, is supplied annually with about 1,200 tons to school meals in Seoul and Jeju Island through strict screening," adding, "The newly completed Integrated RPC is the best facility for processing rice that consumers want, and it will further solidify the competitiveness of the Damyang rice industry."