Iksan City to Implement 11 Projects Including Tax-free Agricultural Fuel Support

35 Billion KRW Invested
"Reducing the Financial Burden on Farmers"

Iksan City in North Jeolla Province will invest a total of approximately 3.5 billion KRW to implement 11 projects, including expanding agricultural machinery rentals, distributing smart agricultural machinery, and supporting tax-free fuel for agricultural use.

According to the city on the 11th, these projects aim to address the aging rural population and labor shortages through agricultural mechanization, and to stabilize the livelihoods of farmers.

Exterior view of Iksan City Hall. Provided by Iksan City

The city is accelerating the promotion of agricultural mechanization with the goals of 'reducing labor, improving productivity, and increasing farm income.' To this end, a new northern branch was established in Mangseong-myeon last February, expanding the number of agricultural machinery rental centers from three to four. With improved accessibility and convenience, it is expected that about 8,000 farms, a 15% increase from the previous year, will utilize the service.

Additionally, to reduce the burden of rental fees, a 50% discount will be maintained, and work on Saturdays during the busy farming season (March to June) and on-call duty on Sundays will be implemented to better respond to peak farming periods. The city will also support 80% of the delivery fee for rental agricultural machinery and 50% of the excavator rental fee to ease management costs. Efforts are also being focused on distributing agricultural machinery to keep pace with the rapidly changing agricultural landscape.

The city will invest 408 million KRW to distribute 15 drones and 5 autonomous tractor kits to young farmers, and will also provide training on drone utilization.

The support project for purchasing small and medium-sized agricultural machinery amounts to 588 million KRW. Last month, 217 farms were selected as beneficiaries, and the city plans to complete equipment distribution before the start of the main farming season next month.

In addition, a 200 million KRW project for full mechanization in major soybean-producing rice paddies will be promoted, distributing key equipment such as seeders and harvesters. The city is also working to prevent accidents during agricultural work by distributing safety lighting devices for agricultural machinery and providing safety education.

The city will also support tax-free fuel, which is essential for farming activities. Starting in September, subsidies will be provided for a total of 9.75 million liters of tax-free fuel: 81 KRW per liter for gasoline, 87 KRW for diesel, and 91 KRW for kerosene. The total project budget is 856 million KRW, which is expected to significantly reduce the burden on farmers caused by rising fuel prices.

Mayor Jung Heon-yul stated, "Expanding agricultural mechanization is a key strategy to improve the quality of life for farmers and strengthen the competitiveness of local agriculture," adding, "We will do our best to ensure stable farm management and build a sustainable foundation for future agriculture through field-oriented, customized support."