(Anseong=Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Kwang-ho = "It rained yesterday, and there is a forecast of more rain until next Saturday, which is concerning."
Mr. Kim Doo-young (63), who raises 200 head of cattle and cultivates 128,000 pyeong of rice in Ijeon-ri, Bogae-myeon, Anseong City, Gyeonggi Province, said on the 16th, "Due to the frequent autumn rains, I have not yet harvested half of the rice. This is the first time in my life that I have seen such heavy autumn rains this year."
As it is the peak harvest season for crops, frequent rains this month have been causing difficulties for farmers.
From the beginning of this month until the 15th, it has rained for 11 days in the Anseong area, excluding four days.
Although the rain is not as heavy or prolonged as the summer monsoon, it is forecast to be intermittent until the 18th.
Due to these frequent rains, the rice harvest rate in the Anseong area is currently below 50%, which is 20 percentage points lower than the same period last year. The optimal harvest period for mid-late maturing rice is from early to late October.
If the rice is fully ripe but not harvested in time, it can lead to falling and germination, which can reduce the quality of the rice.
If the rice harvest is not carried out sequentially and is concentrated in a short period after frequent autumn rains, it can delay purchasing and drying by agricultural cooperatives and others, further deteriorating the quality of the rice.
The delay in rice harvest and the frequent rains, which prevent the straw from drying or cause it to rot, are deepening the concerns of livestock farmers.
Because it has become difficult to secure straw feed for livestock in the fall.
Mr. Kim said, "We need to start storing straw feed for winter now, but the straw is wet and cannot be collected. I am concerned that the price of straw feed will rise significantly this winter."
The frequent autumn rains are not only causing damage but also affecting the sowing of crops that need to be planted around this time.
For example, the optimal sowing period for garlic in the Nanji area is between September 20 and 30 each year.
However, due to the rain, the soil moisture content is high, and garlic sowing has almost not been possible in the Anseong area.