"Don't Worry About Sales Channels" Sunchang County Supports Eco-Friendly Rice Distribution

Direct Logistics Cost Support of 1,000 Won Per Bag

Panoramic view of Sunchang County, Jeonbuk. Provided by Sunchang County

Sunchang County in Jeonbuk Province is driving the expansion of eco-friendly agriculture in the region through its "Logistics Cost Support Project for Eco-Friendly Rice Distributors," which aims to enhance the distribution competitiveness of eco-friendly agricultural products and secure stable sales channels for local farmers.

According to Sunchang County on January 2, the county provided approximately 36 million won in logistics cost support last year to five local companies that contract-farmed and distributed eco-friendly rice of at least pesticide-free grade. As a result, a total of 35,910 bags (based on 40 kg per bag) of eco-friendly rice were successfully distributed.

The core of this project is to subsidize a portion of the logistics costs incurred during the purchase and distribution of eco-friendly rice using county funds. The support rate is 1,000 won per bag. This is evaluated as having established a virtuous cycle that stabilizes farm incomes by reducing the operational burden on distributors and encouraging active purchases.

The main participants include Taei Eco-friendly (Yeong), Sunchang Agricultural Cooperative (Paldeok), Seosunchang Agricultural Cooperative (Geumgwa), and Sunchang Eco-friendly Union (Yeong), all of which play key roles in the distribution of eco-friendly rice in the region. The county is laying a systematic foundation from production to distribution through public-private cooperation with these companies.

In particular, the county plans to significantly expand the scale of the project in 2026. The total project budget for next year will be increased to 50 million won, expanding the support coverage to up to 50,000 bags-about 40% more than this year's results. This is expected to provide substantial assistance to farmers struggling with climate change and shrinking consumer demand.

Choi Youngil, Mayor of Sunchang County, stated, "The sustainability of eco-friendly agriculture depends on securing a stable distribution network," and added, "By supporting logistics costs, we will enhance distribution competitiveness and create an environment where farmers can focus solely on producing high-quality eco-friendly rice without worrying about sales channels."