Up to 1,800 New Hectares… Increase in Direct Payment Rates and Full Purchase Through Public Rice Storage
The South Jeolla Province government announced on the 17th that they plan to reverse the declining trend in eco-friendly rice cultivation area, which has been decreasing since 2020 due to climate change and an aging population, and turn it into an increasing trend this year. This plan aims to address issues such as oversupply through proper rice production.
The new target for conversion is 1,800 hectares. To achieve this, the payment for eco-friendly direct subsidies will be increased: organic from 700,000 won to 950,000 won per hectare, and pesticide-free from 500,000 won to 750,000 won. The ongoing organic direct payment, which starts being provided from the sixth year, will rise from 350,000 won to 570,000 won.
The maximum area for payment per farm will also expand from the current 5 hectares to a yet unspecified size. The purchase price for eco-friendly rice has been increased by 5% compared to general rice (currently 63,510 won for top grade, 40 kg is 68,780 won). The current public storage purchase volume of 10,000 tons will be incrementally increased to 150,000 tons, with plans to purchase all of it. The purchased eco-friendly rice will be supplied for military meals and welfare rice.
The entry barriers for new eco-friendly rice farming households will also be significantly lowered. If new farmers apply for pesticide-free certification for the first time this year to receive the eco-friendly direct payments, they can apply even if they lack one year’s worth of management-related data.
Currently, direct payments are given if certification is maintained from November 1 of the previous year until October 31 of the current year, but exceptionally this year, new farmers can receive direct payments if they submit their certification by October 31.
To expand eco-friendly rice cultivation, South Jeolla Province plans to increase cultivation areas targeting conventional farms within existing eco-friendly agricultural complexes and cooperatives with farming work delegation systems from seedling to harvest.
Park Hyun-sik, Director of Agriculture, Livestock, and Food for South Jeolla Province, emphasized that expanding eco-friendly rice cultivation through increased direct payment rates is a golden opportunity to reverse the decline in certified areas since 2020. He urged participation in eco-friendly rice cultivation, highlighting its benefits of guaranteed sales channels and prices, solving oversupply, and addressing carbon emissions, creating a “quadruple win” effect.
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