Yeonggwang-gun Holds Meeting with Agricultural Organizations and Institutions

[Yeonggwang=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Jeonseong] Jeollanam-do Yeonggwang-gun (Governor Kang Jongman) announced on the 18th that it held an 'Agriculture-related Organizations Meeting' at the county office's small conference room on the 17th.

Presided over by the governor, the meeting was attended by about 20 people including heads of local agricultural cooperatives and agriculture-related organizations. The meeting was organized to explain major pending projects and to reflect the opinions of the heads of agriculture-related organizations on next year's agricultural budget and other matters into the projects.

During the meeting, proposals were made for the need for support that helps reduce farm management costs and improve actual income, such as expanded support in the horticulture sector, solidifying minimum prices for major agricultural products, support for glutinous rice subsidies, and diversification of rice purchase varieties.

Next year's new projects will include 45 projects with a budget increased by 25.2 billion KRW compared to the previous year, consisting of 5 projects in the agriculture sector, 6 in the horticulture sector, 23 pilot projects, and 11 cooperative projects with agricultural cooperatives.

Major new projects include an increase in direct payments for small-scale farmers (an additional 360,000 KRW per person), support for customized agricultural machinery for medium and large-scale farmers (up to 15 million KRW per farmer within 5 years), an increase in the unit price of rice agricultural material coupons (from 150,000 KRW/ha to 200,000 KRW/ha), expansion of smart farm facility distribution, and research and development of healing agriculture.

Governor Kang Jongman said, "In the difficult reality where agricultural income is decreasing due to rising agricultural material costs and falling rice prices while prices are rising, we will seek the development of county agriculture through an increase in the agricultural budget and actively collect suggestions to promote agricultural development through customized policies for local farmers."

He added, "The 2022 public direct payments, which will be paid starting today, amount to 24.376 billion KRW for 7,638 recipients. I hope this will provide some support to the farm economy during this difficult time of falling rice prices, reduced harvests, and decreased farm income."

Yeonggwang=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Jeonseong baekok@asiae.co.kr