Gyeonggi Province Offers Up to 150 Million Won Support for Cultivating Alternative Crops in Rice Paddies

[Suwon Ilbo=Park No-hoon Reporter] Gyeonggi Province will implement the 'Grain Crop Cultivation Complex Facilities and Equipment Support Project,' offering up to 150 million won in project funding for cultivating alternative crops instead of rice in rice paddies.

This project follows the substantial conclusion of the government's 'Rice Paddy Alternative Crop Cultivation Support Project,' which was implemented temporarily for three years from 2018 to 2020.

The province explained that it is pursuing this project independently to resolve oversupply of rice and increase grain self-sufficiency rates.

The support targets are agricultural cooperatives within the province that convert rice paddies to alternative crop cultivation, with minimum conversion areas of 2 hectares or more for new applicants and 5 hectares or more including converted areas for existing applicants.

According to conversion area brackets, support will be provided on a differential basis: ▲2 hectares or more to 5 hectares or less: up to 60 million won ▲exceeding 5 hectares to 10 hectares or less: up to 100 million won ▲exceeding 10 hectares: up to 150 million won.

Additionally, the province will substantially ease crop restriction requirements by including radishes, Chinese cabbage, red peppers, green onions, garlic, onions, potatoes, and sweet potatoes as eligible crops, which were previously excluded from the existing 'Rice Paddy Alternative Crop Cultivation Support Project.'

Agricultural cooperatives wishing to apply can submit applications through the relevant city or county and administrative welfare centers in their respective eup, myeon, or dong by March 26. Following this, the province plans to select support recipients by reflecting alternative crop cultivation scale, applicant suitability, and sales plans.

Kim Ki-jong, director of the Eco-friendly Agriculture Division at Gyeonggi Province, stated, "Although the government project has concluded, through facility and equipment support by the province itself, we will raise grain self-sufficiency rates and proactively prepare for excessive rice production and falling rice prices."