Eligible for Organic Rice Certification... 250,000 Won per Hectare
Expected to Improve Soil Fertility and Reduce Agricultural Management Costs
Jeollanam-do is promoting the "Organic Rice Straw Return Project." The photo shows the scenery before autumn plowing after rice harvesting. Provided by Jeonnam Province.
Jeollanam-do Province announced that it will implement the 'Organic Rice Straw Reincorporation Project' to recycle agricultural by-products by returning organic rice straw to the soil, enhance soil fertility by supplying organic matter, and establish a foundation for producing high-quality eco-friendly rice.
The Organic Rice Straw Reincorporation Project involves cutting rice straw after harvesting and reincorporating it into farmland, followed by autumn plowing. To promote the spread of eco-friendly agriculture centered on organic farming, a project budget of 1.75 billion won (350 million won from the provincial government and 1.4 billion won from cities and counties) will be allocated.
When organic rice straw is reincorporated into paddy fields, the effect per 0.1 hectare includes: ▲ 174 kg of organic matter ▲ 9.3 kg of urea ▲ 252 kg of silicate. This is expected to improve soil fertility and reduce agricultural management costs by decreasing the use of chemical fertilizers.
The support is available for farmland registered as agricultural management entities that has received organic rice certification. If organic rice straw is reincorporated, a subsidy of 250,000 won per hectare can be received.
The farmland eligible for application must maintain organic certification until December 31. If the rice straw is used for other purposes such as forage and not reincorporated into certified farmland, it will be excluded from support.
Farmers wishing to receive support must submit an application form along with an organic certification and agricultural management registration certificate to the township or town office where the farmland is located by September 10.
Kim Youngseok, Director of Eco-friendly Agriculture at Jeollanam-do Province, said, "The rice straw reincorporation project not only helps improve rice quality by increasing the organic matter content in the soil, but also reduces greenhouse gas emissions by accumulating soil carbon. We expect it will also help stabilize farm incomes by reducing management costs for farmers with eco-friendly rice certification."
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