Ganghwa County Inspects Usage of Agricultural Low-Temperature Storage Facilities

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Seo Dong-young] Ganghwa County will conduct inspections on the usage status of agricultural low-temperature storage facilities through the 28th to strengthen post-management of agricultural subsidy projects.

The inspection will comprehensively examine abandonment of agricultural facilities after installation, whether facilities are being used for purposes other than intended, maintenance conditions, and issues such as transfer, exchange, lease, or provision as collateral. The results will be utilized as foundational policy data for future agricultural subsidy support.

Inspection targets are agricultural low-temperature storage facilities that the county implemented as subsidy projects from 2010 to 2019. For minor issues such as location changes discovered during inspections, the county will issue corrective action orders. For violations of subsidy project regulations such as abandonment, transfer, or use for unintended purposes, the county plans to take measures including subsidy recovery.

A county official stated, "Low-temperature storage facilities must be used for the purpose of storing Ganghwa agricultural products produced by farmers," and added, "Going forward, we will do our best to strengthen continuous post-management of private subsidy projects, including reorganization of agricultural facility management records, to ensure transparency among private subsidy operators and promote efficient management."

Meanwhile, agricultural low-temperature storage facilities have high demand among farming households because they offer the advantage of controlling the shipping timing of agricultural products and maintaining freshness amid changing agricultural conditions such as droughts and typhoons, allowing farmers to sell their products at fair prices. In response, the county has relaxed subsidy project qualification criteria from paddy field area of 1,000 square meters to farmland area of 1,000 square meters starting this year, allowing more farmers to benefit.