Jeollanam-do, No. 1 in National Food Crop Production...Increasing Budget Investment

Record-High Budget of KRW 905.9 Billion Invested
Support for 32 Projects Including Appropriate Rice Production
Building on Top Rank in National Food Crop Production
Strengthening Price Competitiveness and Climate Resilience

Jeollanam-do will allocate a budget of 905.9 billion won to the food industry. Provided by Jeollanam-do

Jeollanam-do will invest a record-high budget of KRW 905.9 billion in the food industry this year to stabilize farmers' management, ensure appropriate rice production, and strengthen disaster response capabilities.

In 2024, Jeollanam-do produced 841,000 tons of food crops out of the national total of 4.19 million tons, ranking first in the country. It was followed by Chungcheongnam-do (756,000 tons), Jeollabuk-do (663,000 tons), Gyeongsangbuk-do (533,000 tons), and Gyeonggi-do (410,000 tons).

Last year, Jeollanam-do led the rise in rice prices by implementing the largest reduction in rice cultivation area in the country and achieved the result of having rice kernel smut recognized as an agricultural disaster.

Building on these achievements, the province plans to further expand support for the food industry this year, guiding appropriate rice production and reducing production costs, while also taking preemptive measures against frequent agricultural disasters caused by climate change to strengthen management stability for farmers.

To stabilize farmers' management, the province will provide a total of KRW 546.3 billion across four projects, including KRW 468 billion for the Public Direct Payment Program, KRW 57 billion for rice management stabilization measures, and KRW 9.9 billion to stabilize the price of chemical fertilizers.

In the area of appropriate rice production, the province will invest KRW 105.4 billion in nine projects, including KRW 80.6 billion in direct payments for strategic crops such as soybeans grown in paddy fields and rice for supply-demand control, KRW 17.5 billion to support the industrialization of strategic crops such as legumes, wheat, and potatoes, and KRW 3 billion to support the cultivation of alternative crops in paddy fields.

To prepare for and prevent agricultural disasters, the province will provide KRW 203.2 billion across four projects, including KRW 186.4 billion for crop disaster insurance, KRW 15.3 billion for farmers' safety insurance, and KRW 900 million to support pest and disease control costs at the rice seedling tray stage.

To promote agricultural mechanization and enhance competitiveness, the province will invest KRW 51 billion in 15 projects, including newly reflected projects such as KRW 16.8 billion for multi-purpose small agricultural machinery, KRW 12.9 billion to support facilities and equipment for large-scale complexes (projects to reduce agricultural product production costs), and KRW 800 million to support the expansion of joint farming.

Yu Deokgyu, Director General of the Department of Agriculture, Livestock and Food of Jeollanam-do, said, "As we have expanded existing projects and discovered new ones by reflecting voices from the field, we expect the competitiveness of the food industry to be further strengthened," adding, "We will focus on expanding the production base for major crops such as rice, wheat, and soybeans, and on disaster response, and will do our utmost to increase farmers' income and achieve management stability."