‘Agricultural Policies Leading Change’ … Cheongsong-gun Announces This Year’s Agricultural Administration Direction

Cheongsong-gun, Gyeongbuk Province, has set the direction for agricultural policy management in 2024 as "Agricultural Policy Leading Change" and plans to invest 104 billion KRW, which is 24% of the county budget, in the agricultural and forestry project sector to fully commit to building a hopeful agriculture and rural community.

To this end, the county has established three major agricultural policy focus strategies: ▲Creating a farming environment free from natural disaster concerns ▲Building a production system with reduced costs and increased income ▲Implementing a next-generation agricultural system with high productivity. These are expected to greatly contribute to strengthening Cheongsong-gun's agricultural competitiveness and revitalizing the rural economy in the future.

Cheongsong-gun announced the direction of agricultural policy management for 2024.

◆Three Major Focus Strategies

First, to "Create a farming environment free from natural disaster concerns," the county plans to secure project funds including 4 billion KRW for Gyeongbuk Province's farmer and fisherman allowance, 34.7 billion KRW for crop disaster insurance premiums, and 1.1 billion KRW for agricultural safety disaster insurance premiums, including the newly established comprehensive agricultural machinery insurance premium support this year, to support the stable agricultural production activities of farming households.

In addition, continuous support will be provided for fostering eco-friendly agriculture and producing high-quality food crops to enhance agriculture's environmental conservation function and increase the production competitiveness of food crops. To stabilize farmers' income, 14 billion KRW will be allocated for public direct payment systems, 800 million KRW for market isolation purchase of low-grade apples, and 4.4 billion KRW for orchard micro-sprinkler devices, aiming to respond to climate change and promote stable agricultural production and farming environment creation.

Moreover, 500 million KRW will be invested in nurturing young farmers to discover promising young agricultural talents who will lead agricultural development, fostering elite agricultural personnel to enhance rural vitality and realize sustainable agriculture and rural communities.

Second, to "Build a production system with reduced costs and increased income," 8.3 billion KRW will be provided for the FTA fund project to modernize high-quality facilities for fruit production, which is the main source of income in Cheongsong-gun. Additionally, 3.3 billion KRW will be allocated for seedling costs to create future-type orchards for innovating the Cheongsong apple cultivation system, 2.4 billion KRW for establishing production bases in fruit-specialized complexes, and 3.9 billion KRW for supporting agricultural machinery for fruit production, reducing fruit production costs, improving quality, and enhancing fruit grade.

Furthermore, 2 billion KRW will be supported for high-quality chili pepper production and 800 million KRW for establishing production bases for vegetables and specialty crops, preparing for the future agricultural market through diversification of income crops other than apples.

Lastly, to "Implement a next-generation agricultural system with high productivity," the county plans to secure agricultural competitiveness by activating direct transactions, diversifying marketing strategies for local agricultural specialties, and transitioning distribution systems.

By supporting the enhancement of export agricultural food safety, a foundation for exporting Cheongsong apples will be established, and the agricultural food processing industry will be fostered to promote consumption of local agricultural products and increase added value.

Along with this, a policy to reduce production costs by distributing stemless Cheongsong apples will be promoted to reduce farmers' burdens, and continuous promotional activities targeting farmers and consumers will be conducted to lead innovation in the domestic apple market distribution method and boost sales.

Additionally, 600 million KRW will be provided for supporting agricultural product distribution facilities at production sites, 1.5 billion KRW for supporting integrated marketing organizations to strengthen distribution functions at production sites, 800 million KRW for establishing a price stabilization fund for agricultural and livestock products to stabilize farmers' economy, and 500 million KRW for operating the Cheongsong-gun agricultural product distribution center and supporting shipping farmers.

County Governor Yoon Kyung-hee stated, "Through fundamental innovation of the agricultural system, we will respond to natural disasters and internal and external agricultural environment changes to open a competitive and sustainable future rural community," and added, "We will do our best to create a Cheongsong where farmers live well and all residents prosper by promoting agricultural policies that lead change."