(Chuncheon=Yonhap News) Reporter Yang Ji-woong = Gangwon Province's Cheorwon County recently revealed on the 27th that Cheorwon County Mayor Lee Hyun-jong strongly proposed an improvement of the standards for the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs' 'High-Quality Rice Distribution Activation Project' on behalf of the province at the National Conference of Mayors, County Magistrates, and District Office Chiefs held in Boryeong, South Chungcheong.
The county mayor emphasized the need for system improvement during the meeting, stating, "Cheorwon is the largest rice-producing area in Gangwon Province, and it plays a significant role in food security and the regional economy. However, it faces structural limitations due to the aging facilities of the Rice Processing Complex (RPC) and rigid business standards."
Furthermore, he pointed out, "The original intention of the High-Quality Rice Distribution Activation Project is to strengthen the competitiveness of regional brand rice and stabilize farmers' income. However, the current rigid standards limit the participation of some regions, thereby failing to fully achieve the intended purpose."
The county mayor argued, "Applying the current standards to regions with significant production scale but distinct geographical features, such as Cheorwon, is highly ineffective. It is necessary to establish flexible standards that reflect the local reality, such as allowing two integrated RPCs per city, county, or district, and relaxing the rice purchase standards for a single agricultural cooperative RPC."
He added, "Cheorwon will also lead the way in reducing agricultural production costs, improving outdated facilities, and strengthening the competitiveness of high-quality rice brands through the promotion of two regional joint business corporations. By doing so, we will further contribute to enhancing national food security."