Gyeonggi Province will adjust the supply price of premium Gyeonggi rice provided to daycare centers, kindergartens, and schools to reflect market realities.
On the 18th, Gyeonggi Province held an Eco-friendly School Meal Support Deliberation Committee meeting and announced on the 22nd that it had reviewed and approved a plan to change the pricing method for premium Gyeonggi rice supplied to school meals from the existing government grain price to the premium Gyeonggi rice market price.
Currently, the rice is supplied to schools at the government-controlled grain sales price, and suppliers receive a fixed subsidy for the price difference.
For example, if the premium Gyeonggi rice market price is 41,000 KRW and the government grain price is set at 30,000 KRW, schools pay 30,000 KRW, and the difference of 11,000 KRW is subsidized by Gyeonggi Province and local governments.
The problem is that as the government grain price fluctuates annually, when the grain price drops, the premium Gyeonggi rice supply price also synchronously decreases.
Farmers in the province have demanded improvements, stating that although the market price of Gyeonggi rice is relatively higher than rice from other regions, the supply price is determined based on the government grain price, causing significant losses.
Reflecting this, Gyeonggi Province decided to improve the premium Gyeonggi rice supply price determination method by incorporating market fluctuation rates and the market competitiveness of Gyeonggi rice.
First, using the purchase prices of Gyeonggi rice over the past five years, Gyeonggi Province set this year's supply price for organic premium Gyeonggi rice at 41,370 KRW. From next year, the base supply price will be recalculated by reflecting the previous year's supply price and the fluctuation rate of the previous year's Gyeonggi rice wholesale price.
Gong Jeong-sik, Director of the Gyeonggi Province Agriculture, Fisheries and Life Sciences Bureau, stated, "The plan to adjust the premium Gyeonggi rice meal supply price reflects Gyeonggi Province's commitment to actively support and expand eco-friendly agriculture. Through this, we plan to enhance farmers' income stability and promote sustainable agriculture."
The premium Gyeonggi rice supply support project focuses on supporting Gyeonggi Province's agricultural policies and promoting healthy eating habits for future generations, as well as creating an eco-friendly and sustainable agricultural environment.
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