The government will strategically cultivate new apple cultivation areas in Gangwon Province as part of an agricultural restructuring strategy to address climate change, and will implement a ‘cultivation area adjustment system’ starting next year to curb excessive rice production. A comprehensive plan has also been prepared to enhance the sustainability of agriculture, including the reorganization of the rice industry and the spread of smart agriculture.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced the ‘agricultural and rural innovation strategy’ containing these details at the economic ministers' meeting on the 18th. The goal is to overcome the crisis of rural decline in a situation where production instability is worsening due to climate change and aging, and to reform agriculture into a future growth industry.
The government will strategically cultivate new apple cultivation areas centered around Gangwon Province to respond to climate change. The area of apple cultivation is currently on a continuous increase. The government has set a goal to expand the new cultivation area from 931 hectares (ha) in 2023 to 2,000 ha by 2030. The plan includes enhancing production efficiency through the establishment of smart orchard specialized complexes in the new cultivation areas. Smart orchards are futuristic farms that maximize productivity and reduce labor through automated systems.
To prepare for frequent summer heatwaves and cold damage disasters, the government will expand production infrastructure by increasing preventive facilities. The government plans to distribute crop disaster response manuals for different weather conditions and provide support to ensure rapid response to disasters. For summer cabbage, a pilot project will be conducted to discover new cultivation sites and establish production complexes, targeting approximately 20% (1,000 ha) of the normal cultivation area.
The core of the rice industry reorganization is the ‘cultivation area adjustment system.’ The government aims to reduce the paddy field area by 80,000 ha starting next year, setting reduction targets for each local government, and encouraging area adjustments targeting all rice farming households. The plan is to encourage participation by giving preferential treatment to farms that comply with the reduction, such as allocating public stockpile rice.
The government is also pursuing the improvement of rice quality. Starting next year, the grain labeling system will be reformed to include mandatory protein labeling and strengthened standards for mixing broken rice. The plan is to transition the rice industry into one that matches consumer demand by expanding the production of high-quality, eco-friendly rice.
To expand rice demand, the government will support processed rice foods and exports overseas. Policy funds will be preferentially given to food companies switching from government-grain to private new-crop rice, and a pilot site for processing rice production will be established. Additionally, the tax reduction range for traditional liquor will be expanded, and support for the export of processed rice foods will be strengthened.