Gangjin-gun Provides 990 Million KRW Disaster Relief Fund for 'Byeomyeolgu' Rice Planthopper Infestation

Increasing Damage from Rice Planthoppers in China... Strengthening Support for Farmers

Gangjin-gun, Jeollanam-do announced on the 27th that it will provide disaster relief funds amounting to 990 million KRW to respond to the damage caused by rice planthoppers to rice farming households due to abnormal high temperatures from July to September.

This year, the area affected by rice planthopper damage in the Gangjin region reached 1,031 hectares, accounting for 11.4% of the total rice cultivation area in the county. In September, heavy rains overlapped with the rice planthopper damage, causing great difficulties for farmers.

Gangjin-gun Provides 990 Million KRW Disaster Relief Fund for 'Byeomyeolgu' Rice Planthopper Infestation

Kang Jin-won, Governor of Gangjin County (right), is visiting a brown planthopper damage site to listen to the difficulties faced by farmers. Photo by Gangjin County

The severe rice planthopper damage this year is largely due to a large number of rice planthoppers flying in from China compared to normal years. Especially, under the sustained high-temperature environment, the density rapidly increased over 2 to 3 generations, exacerbating the damage.

The county recognized this year’s rice planthopper damage as an agricultural disaster and conducted damage reception and investigation last month. The county requested a third supplementary budget of 370 million KRW, including 240 million KRW of county funds, and plans to provide disaster relief funds of 990 million KRW to 1,492 farming households affected by the rice planthopper damage by mid-next month.

Gang Jin-won, the county governor, said, “Farmers have suffered great damage from this agricultural disaster, and we hope to minimize it and provide some help to the farmers.” He added, “We will continue to seek various measures to minimize damage caused by abnormal climate.”

The governor also added, “As agricultural disasters due to abnormal climate have become more frequent, we will expand support for disaster prevention facilities by crop type and support for crop disaster insurance premiums to minimize crop damage.”