Jeongeup City Accepts Applications for 'Strategic Crop Direct Payment'... Up to 5 Million Won in Support

Applications accepted until May 30
...Aiming to stabilize rice prices

Jeongeup City, North Jeolla Province, announced on the 4th that it will be accepting applications for the 'Strategic Crop Direct Payment' program until May 30 to stabilize rice supply and demand and improve the food self-sufficiency rate.

The strategic crop direct payment provides support of up to 5 million KRW to those who cultivate wheat, legumes, or rice for flour instead of rice paddies.

Strategic Crop Direct Payment Support Poster. Provided by Jeongeup City

Eligible applicants include farmers, agricultural corporations, and joint food crop management entities registered as agricultural management bodies. To qualify, individual farmers must have non-agricultural income less than 37 million KRW and cultivate at least 1,000 square meters of strategic crops per season.

This program is part of a policy to reduce rice paddy cultivation for rice price stabilization. If wheat, legumes, rice for flour, forage crops, edible corn, or sesame (perilla, sesame) are cultivated instead of rice in paddies, a payment of 500,000 KRW to a maximum of 5 million KRW per hectare is provided.

New this year, perilla and sesame have been added as summer crops, the payment rate for winter wheat has been increased from 500,000 KRW to 1 million KRW, and for summer forage crops from 4.3 million KRW to 5 million KRW.

The payment rates by crop are: ▲Food crops and winter forage crops: 500,000 KRW ▲Winter wheat: 1 million KRW ▲Edible corn and summer sesame: 1 million KRW ▲Legumes and rice for flour (summer): 2 million KRW ▲Summer forage crops: 5 million KRW.

In particular, if winter wheat or forage crops are cultivated and then double-cropped with summer legumes or rice for flour, an additional 1 million KRW per hectare is provided.

Farmers cultivating winter crops must apply by May 31, and those cultivating summer crops must apply by May 30 at the administrative welfare center in the town, township, or district where their farmland is located. If the farmland is spread across multiple locations, applications should be made based on the largest area.

Mayor Lee Haksoo said, "With the expansion of strategic crop items and increased payment rates this year, I hope many farmers will participate to help control rice production, stabilize rice prices, and increase farmers' incomes."