Kim Young-rok, Governor of Jeollanam-do, recently emphasized that the reality of farmers can no longer be ignored as rice prices have plummeted to the 180,000 won range.
On the 22nd, Governor Kim requested the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs to promptly implement a government-level market isolation of more than 150,000 tons.
The rice industry is a national institutional industry, and rice is the staple food of the people, serving as a pillar supporting the national economy and food security. However, despite the government's announcement of a supply-demand stabilization measure to maintain the rice target price at around 200,000 won, rice prices have continued to fall without safety measures, recording 189,488 won as of the 15th, breaking below the 190,000 won level.
In response, Governor Kim Young-rok issued a letter to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs urging market isolation to stabilize rice prices, stating, "If the government delays further in preparing measures for rice prices to control inflation, the nation and farmers will inevitably pay a greater price," and demanded the government take extraordinary measures to normalize rice prices at 200,000 won.
Governor Kim's judgment is that prompt government market isolation is urgently needed at this time.
In 2017, when Governor Kim Young-rok served as Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, rice prices remained around 120,000 won for about eight months due to price declines, but immediately after the government announced a market isolation policy of 370,000 tons, prices rose by 30% to the 150,000 won range in just 10 days, giving hope to 2.4 million farmers nationwide.
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