Formation of 'Ssal Industry Structural Reform Council'... Seeking Solutions to Oversupply Problem

First Meeting of the Council Held on the 26th

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs is forming the 'Rice Industry Structural Reform Council' to prepare measures for reforming the rice industry structure and will hold the first meeting (kick-off meeting) on the 26th at the Government Sejong Complex, chaired by Deputy Minister Park Beom-su of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

The council includes more than 20 stakeholders from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, producer and consumer organizations, the Korea RPC (Rice Processing Complex) Association, as well as online and offline distribution companies, and the Korea Rural Economic Institute (KREI).

South Korea's rice industry is in a state of structural oversupply. Compared to the decrease in production volume, the decline in cooked rice consumption due to changes in dietary habits is greater, resulting in an annual surplus production exceeding 200,000 tons in average yield years.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs plans to prepare measures to address the oversupply issue by reducing the rice cultivation area and transforming the rice industry structure. To gather diverse opinions during this process, the council will be operated.

The main tasks discussed by the council include ▲ enhancing the effectiveness of rice cultivation area adjustment ▲ upgrading rice quality ▲ creating new demand such as rice-processed foods ▲ activating participation of distribution entities and farmers.

The council will share the basic direction and discuss specific implementation plans at this meeting. Going forward, aiming to establish measures within the year, it will operate weekly meetings divided into two subcommittees (production team and distribution·consumption team).

Deputy Minister Park said, "The empathy and participation of field farmers are important in preparing measures for rice industry structural reform," adding, "We plan to collect diverse opinions through the council and carefully review proposed items to establish the measures."