"Need to Establish Support Measures
by Securing Unsecured Budget Independently"
Chungnam Provincial Council member Hanil Bang, who called for support measures from Chungnam Province in response to the sharp rise in mineral fertilizer prices. / Photo by Chungnam Provincial Council
Chungnam Provincial Council member Hanil Bang (Yesan 1, People Power Party) called on Chungnam Province to establish proactive support measures to ease the burden on farmers caused by the sharp rise in mineral fertilizer prices, during the third plenary session of the 359th regular meeting through a provincial government inquiry.
According to data from the Korea Rural Economic Institute, agricultural materials account for 27.5% of farm management costs, and the price of mineral fertilizers increased by approximately 45% in 2024 compared to 2021.
Since 2022, the government has been subsidizing 80% of the increase in mineral fertilizer prices (30% from the government, 20% from local governments, and 30% from the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation). However, in the 2025 supplementary budget, only 25.5 billion won out of the 37.2 billion won government subsidy has been secured, leaving a shortfall of 11.7 billion won.
Bang stated, "Agriculture is a life industry that provides food, a fundamental element of our lives," and expressed concern that "as of 2024, Korea's food self-sufficiency rate is 20.1%, which is far below the OECD average of 60%, making food security vulnerable to international instability or climate crises at any time."
He continued, "Farmers are facing heavy management burdens due to the sharp rise in agricultural material prices, the aging rural population, and labor shortages. With the current busy farming season, production costs are increasing even more," adding, "Farmers are more worried about the burden of production costs, such as fertilizer prices, labor costs, and fuel prices, than they are hopeful about crop yields."
He emphasized, "Some local governments, such as Gyeongnam Province, are providing support using their own budgets, so Chungnam Province must also actively develop additional support measures by securing its own budget for the shortfall."
Bang urged, "Chungnam Province should clearly present concrete plans for securing its own budget and providing additional support to cover the shortfall in the 2025 government mineral fertilizer subsidy, so that residents and farmers can feel reassured," and called on the province "to establish practical support measures so that farmers can farm with peace of mind."
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