Choo Kyung-ho Visits High-Altitude Farms in Gangwon: "Cabbage Fighting!"... Budget for Next Year's Vegetable Price Stabilization Program Increased by 10 Billion Won

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Choo Kyung-ho is inspecting the highland cabbage crop currently being shipped in Anbandegi, Wangsang-myeon, Gangneung-si, Gangwon Province on the 13th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Gangneung=Reporter Son Seon-hee] On the 13th, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Choo Kyung-ho visited a highland cabbage field in Gangwon Province, which is now in full harvest season. This visit was to directly inspect the growth status and shipment plans of cabbages ahead of the Chuseok peak season. Despite recent record heavy rains, the cabbage crop in the highland areas this year is good, and it is expected to meet the early holiday demand. The government has decided to add 10 billion KRW to the budget for the Vegetable Price Stabilization System next year to ensure a stable supply of agricultural products.

At around noon on the same day, Deputy Prime Minister Choo visited the Anbandegi cabbage field located in Wansan-myeon, Gangneung City, where he met with local agricultural cooperatives and farmers to hear about the current status of highland vegetable cultivation and difficulties caused by recent weather changes such as heatwaves and monsoons. The Anbandegi cabbage field is the largest highland cabbage production complex in Korea, located at an altitude of 1000 to 1200 meters. About 18 farms cultivate approximately 196 hectares, producing around 115,000 tons of cabbage annually, typically shipped from mid-August to late September each year.

Deputy Prime Minister Choo asked the field officials, "It appears that damage from flooding or loss of cabbage fields due to recent heavy rains is not significant, but please do your best to manage growth during the Chuseok peak season." Accompanying him were Kwon Jae-han, Director of Food Industry Policy at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, as well as heads of Gangneung Nonghyup and Daegwallyeong Horticultural Nonghyup.

With the Chuseok peak season approaching, Deputy Prime Minister Choo said, "We were very worried about the heavy rains, but since the crop condition is good so far and a large quantity is being shipped, there is no need to worry." He added, "I hope production finishes smoothly without damage from heatwaves or monsoons so that consumers can enjoy good quality cabbage during the holiday." He also said, "We will carefully manage the distribution process to ensure that agricultural products are delivered as smoothly as possible from production areas to consumption areas and consumed at stable prices." Deputy Prime Minister Choo even raised a cabbage harvested directly from the field and shouted loudly, "Cabbage fighting!"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The government plans to implement special management focusing on items related to the central region affected by heavy rains, such as cabbage, radish, potato, apple, and pear, including timely pest control, nutrient support, and supply of cabbage seedlings (1.5 million seedlings). Additionally, the government will immediately supply agricultural products to the market in case of supply-demand instability by utilizing government reserves, shipment control facilities, and the Vegetable Price Stabilization System. For cabbage, the government reserves 6,000 tons, Nonghyup shipment control facilities 26,000 tons, and the Vegetable Price Stabilization System 75,000 tons, respectively.

Deputy Prime Minister Choo stated, "To strengthen structural supply-demand control of agricultural products, we will expand loans for contract cultivation funds for open-field vegetables, fruit trees, and fruit vegetables next year as well." He added, "We plan to significantly increase the stockpiles of major food crops to support stable supply and demand management." In particular, for the Vegetable Price Stabilization System, the government plans to significantly expand the subscription volume by allocating an additional budget of about 10 billion KRW compared to this year's budget (45.6 billion KRW).

The subscription volume for the Vegetable Price Stabilization System was about 16% of the average production volume last year and 20% this year, and the plan is to expand it to 23% next year.