Provincial Assembly Member Jeong Young-gyun Demands Promotion of Support Projects Excluded from Next Year's Budget

Support Project for Fertilizer Price Stabilization Must Be Implemented

Request to Increase Mineral Fertilizer Support Project Budget by 2.4 Billion Won

Jeollanam-do Provincial Council member Jeong Young-gyun (The Democratic Party of Korea, Suncheon 1) emphasized on November 27 during the review of the 2024 budget for the Agriculture, Livestock and Food Bureau at the 2nd regular meeting of the 376th Agricultural and Fisheries Committee, “The fertilizer price stabilization support project, which was not reflected in the budget due to national fund cuts, must be promoted as a provincial project at the very least.”

The fertilizer price stabilization support project is a program that supports 80% of the increase in mineral fertilizer prices to reduce the burden of agricultural management costs and secure food security amid the rapid rise in fertilizer prices. It has been implemented since 2022, but for next year, the government decided to cut the entire budget, judging that fertilizer prices have stabilized.

[Photo by Jeonnam Provincial Council]

Council member Jeong Young-gyun expressed regret over the 2024 Agriculture Bureau budget, stating, “Although the fertilizer price stabilization support project was cut from the national budget, it is a project that must be secured to stabilize farmers’ agricultural management,” lamenting the omission of the fertilizer price stabilization support project budget.

He said, “The agricultural management costs of farms in Jeollanam-do are 930,000 KRW higher than the national average (25.11 million KRW), and our Jeollanam-do’s farm and agricultural incomes fall below the national average, largely due to the rise in agricultural management costs.” He emphasized the necessity of the project, saying, “If the fertilizer price stabilization support project is discontinued from next year, fertilizer prices could rise by more than 40% compared to this year, making it even more difficult for farmers to manage their operations.”

He then asked the Director of the Agriculture, Livestock and Food Bureau about Jeollanam-do’s countermeasures and the necessary budget in the current situation where it was not included in the main budget, and demanded “an increase of 2.4 billion KRW in the budget to secure provincial project funds if national funds are not secured.”

Suncheon = Lee Yeon-kyung, Honam Reporting Headquarters, Asia Economy, hss79@asiae.co.kr

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