Song Miryeong Visits Major Discount Store: "Consumers Will Feel Stronger Discount Support on Agricultural and Livestock Products from Next Week"

Checking Supply Conditions and Encouraging On-site Stakeholders

On the 7th, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Song Miryeong inspected the supply and distribution sites for Lunar New Year seasonal items by visiting a large discount store and an Agricultural Products Processing Center (APC) ahead of the Lunar New Year holidays.

Visiting an apple grading and shipping site, one of the key seasonal items, Minister Song said, "With Lunar New Year just ten days away, we are at a very critical final stage for the supply of seasonal items, and I would like to thank all those involved who are working hard, even over the weekend, to stabilize supply and demand," and added, "Please manage the process so that the supply of seasonal items can proceed smoothly right up to the end."

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs is expanding the supply volume of apples during the peak Lunar New Year period to 7.5 times the normal level (26,500 tons) by releasing contracted cultivation and designated shipment volumes. In addition, to support substitute demand for large-sized gift apples, the ministry is significantly increasing (from 100,000 sets in 2025 to 200,000 sets in 2026) the discount-supported supply volume of gift sets consisting of medium and small-sized apples and pears, as well as alternative fruits such as Shine Muscat grapes and late-maturing citrus varieties.

Minister Song then visited the Emart Cheonan store in Cheonan to review supply and demand trends for Lunar New Year seasonal items and other agricultural and livestock products and to inspect the on-site implementation of the discount support program.

On the 7th, Song Miryeong, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, visited the Emart Cheonan store in Cheonan to review supply and demand trends for seasonal and other agricultural and livestock products and to inspect the discount support program. Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

To alleviate the burden of grocery prices on consumers during the Lunar New Year holidays, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs is promoting the largest-ever discount support program in cooperation with producer organizations such as the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation and self-help fund organizations. By investing a budget of 56.6 billion won, from January 29 to February 16, the peak Lunar New Year season, the ministry is supporting discounts of up to 40% of the purchase amount on Lunar New Year seasonal items and substitute consumption items at large discount stores, small and medium-sized supermarkets, eco-friendly stores, local food direct stores, online malls, and traditional markets.

In particular, from the 10th to the 14th, a separate event will be held at 200 traditional markets nationwide, where consumers who purchase domestically produced agricultural and livestock products will receive a refund of up to 30% of their purchase amount (capped at 20,000 won per person) in Onnuri gift certificates. To reduce consumer waiting times, a pilot notification service using mobile devices will also be introduced.

Minister Song said, "As the Lunar New Year holidays draw nearer, the range of items eligible for discount support will also increase, so I ask distribution companies to actively cooperate in easing consumer price burdens through their own discounts as well, so that consumers can more clearly feel the impact of government support." She added, "The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs will thoroughly monitor inventory trends by production area and distributor for key items together with the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation and the Agricultural Outlook Center, and will make every effort to minimize the burden on household grocery budgets."