Gangjin County Fully Supports Farmers for 'Income Stability'

Rice Farming Stabilization Funds and Seedling Expense Coupons, etc.

Gangjin-gun, Jeollanam-do (Governor Kang Jinwon), is drawing attention for prioritizing the income stability of farmers who are struggling due to abnormal weather and rising agricultural material costs, and for implementing a variety of related policies.

According to the county on the 26th, Gangjin-gun has allocated a total of 8.3 billion KRW for rice farming management stabilization funds?the highest level within Jeollanam-do?including more than 7 billion KRW from the county budget. Before the last Lunar New Year holiday, payments ranging from a minimum of 134,500 KRW to a maximum of 3,445,000 KRW were completed for 6,600 hectares and 6,300 farming households, based on cultivated area.

The county's rice management stabilization fund began in 2008 with 1.7 billion KRW and has steadily increased its budget. Especially since 2023, more than 5 billion KRW has been secured annually to provide substantial support to farms facing compounded difficulties from falling rice prices and other issues.

Exterior view of Gangjin County Office

Additionally, to reduce rice production costs, 1.42 billion KRW from the county budget has been allocated to support rice seedling cultivation expenses. Seedling support coupons will be distributed in March to approximately 6,300 farming households, covering a total of 8,900 hectares, including plots participating in the public direct payment system for rice cultivation, reclaimed land, strategic crop direct payment plots, and soybean paddy cultivation support projects.

Furthermore, to foster alternative crops to rice and diversify income crops, the county has allocated 700 million KRW for incentives to expand soybean cultivation in paddy fields. Depending on the unit price for strategic crop direct payments, support of 3.5 to 4 million KRW per hectare?the highest level nationwide?will be provided.

In particular, the basic public direct payment for farmland has increased per-hectare payment rates compared to last year, with 1.36 to 2.15 million KRW per hectare depending on the area, and 1.3 million KRW per household for small-scale farmers. Applications for the basic direct payment can be made in person at township and town office industry teams from March 4 to April 30.

To enhance the public value functions of agriculture, fisheries, and rural areas, the Agricultural and Fisheries Public Benefit Allowance of 600,000 KRW per management entity was open for applications and registration until the 7th. After verification of eligible recipients, the allowance will be distributed as Gangjin Love Gift Certificates to farming households next month.

For the Women's Agricultural and Fisheries Happiness Voucher Support Project, 810 million KRW has been allocated to provide happiness voucher cards to women in agriculture and fisheries. This project aims to reduce the economic burden for women in rural areas with limited cultural resources and improve their health and educational standards by providing a 200,000 KRW voucher card. Applications are open until the 28th, with distribution scheduled for mid-March.

The county-operated online shopping mall 'Chorokmideum' achieved total sales of 16.1 billion KRW last year, growing 2.1 times compared to the previous year. In particular, sales from the Gangjin-gun operated online shopping mall 'Chorokmideum Gangjin' increased 15-fold from 100 million KRW to 1.559 billion KRW, establishing itself as a major platform for selling Gangjin's agricultural specialties.

Sales of Gangjin rice also reached 9.976 billion KRW, a 198% increase from the previous year. Linked with the 'Gangjin Half-Price Travel for Everyone' policy, tourists are actively purchasing local agricultural products, and sales from local food and direct trading projects continue to rise, contributing to the management stability of farming households.

Governor Kang Jinwon stated, "We will do our utmost to develop various support measures for stabilizing farm income so that agriculture, the foundation of Gangjin-gun, can become even more vibrant."