[Namwon=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Jeong Young-gwon] On the 13th, Namwon City in Jeonbuk announced that it will continuously promote the expansion of GAP-certified farms through multifaceted support to secure the competitiveness of eco-friendly agricultural products and increase stable income.
The Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) system is a system for producing agricultural products safely. It mainly involves inspecting soil and water before planting crops, applying pesticides and fertilizers according to safety standards, and hygienically managing storage and processing after harvest.
It is also a system that records all processes and labels key management details on packaging so that consumers can be informed.
The GAP certification procedure involves the farm submitting an application to the certification body. Within 40 days after receipt (one month for renewal), the certification body reviews the appropriateness of the plan and whether basic education has been completed, then issues the certificate.
As a support project to expand GAP-certified farms, the city accepts applications quarterly in May, August, and November at administrative welfare centers for certification fees (250,000 KRW per case) and safety inspection costs (soil, water quality, pesticide residue, etc.) and provides support.
To reduce the economic burden on eco-friendly farms and establish a production base, the city plans to request about 60 cases of soil and water safety analyses necessary for GAP certification, focusing on item-based clusters, to Nongpum Co., Ltd., an agricultural corporation selected through an open competitive bidding this month, and also plans to support a project budget of 15 million KRW.
A city official said, “GAP agricultural products are hygienic agricultural products that are safely managed through thorough verification and certification until they reach the consumer’s table,” and added, “We will enhance regional agricultural competitiveness by expanding the production of high-quality and safe agricultural products through this support project.”
Namwon=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Jeong Young-gwon wjddudrnjs@asiae.co.kr
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