Prepaid Card of 600,000 Won per Farm for 8,400 Households
Pick Up at Local Administrative Welfare Centers
Gwangju Mayor Kang Gijeong attended the completion ceremony of the Bukgwangju Nonghyup General Office and Local Food Direct Store on September 12, 2023, delivering the newly established Farmers' Public Interest Allowance, the first of its kind in special/metropolitan cities, to the farmers. Photo by Gwangju City
Gwangju City will distribute the "Farmers' Public Interest Allowance" one month earlier than last year to stabilize farm management and revitalize the local economy. On June 5, Gwangju City announced that the 2025 Farmers' Public Interest Allowance prepaid cards will be distributed at the administrative welfare centers of each district until June 30.
While last year the allowance was distributed until July 31, this year it will be provided one month earlier, by June 30. This measure is intended to offer practical support to farmers who are struggling with rising agricultural material prices ahead of the busy farming season, and to contribute to revitalizing the local economy.
The "Farmers' Public Interest Allowance" is provided to farm business owners or livestock/insect breeding farm business owners who have continuously maintained their address and agricultural management information (farmland or farm) in Gwangju since before January 1 of the previous year, are actually engaged in agriculture, and received the basic direct payment in the previous year.
After accepting applications until April 18, the city verified eligibility and finalized 8,400 farms as recipients of the allowance. Eligible recipients can receive the allowance by bringing their ID to the administrative welfare center of their district where they applied for the Farmers' Public Interest Allowance by June 30.
The amount is 600,000 won per farm per year, provided as a Gwangju prepaid card. The usage period for the allowance is until December 31, 2026. However, starting from 2026, the usage period for the Farmers' Public Interest Allowance will be limited to one year, and the allowance must be used by December 31 of the same year.
The city has decided to limit the usage period of the Farmers' Public Interest Allowance card to one year starting next year, in order to promote early use of the allowance to boost the local economy, and to collect and reuse leftover balances from lost or unused cards as financial resources.
The "Farmers' Public Interest Allowance" was newly established in 2023 as one of the core pledges of the 8th popularly elected administration, and was the first of its kind in a metropolitan city. From 2023 to 2024, a total of 23,856 farms received support amounting to 14,314,000,000 won.
Nam Taeksong, Director of the Agricultural and Animal Policy Division, stated, "In order to provide practical support to farmers, we have expedited the qualification verification process and are distributing the Farmers' Public Interest Allowance one month earlier than last year. The allowance not only helps enhance the public value of agriculture and stabilize farm management, but also contributes to revitalizing the local economy."
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