(Muan=Yonhap News) Reporter Hyeong Min-woo = Jeonnam Province announced on the 16th that the area of rice cultivation in the region this year has decreased by 5,295 hectares to 142,443 hectares, down from 147,738 hectares last year, marking the largest reduction in area among all provinces in the country.
According to the 2025 rice cultivation area survey results released by the National Data Office, the scale of rice cultivation reduction is as follows: Jeonnam 5,295 hectares, Chungnam 4,515 hectares, Jeonbuk 3,629 hectares, Gyeongbuk 2,723 hectares, and Gyeongnam 2,254 hectares.
Nationwide, the area decreased by 21,999 hectares (2.9%), but Jeonnam recorded a 3.6% decrease, marking the largest reduction in both percentage and area.
To stabilize rice prices this year, the government implemented the "Rice Cultivation Area Adjustment Act."
In response, Jeonnam Province promoted a policy to reduce rice cultivation area by cultivating alternative crops such as soybeans, glutinous rice, and fodder in paddy fields instead of rice.
Jeonnam Province provided support for the purchase of rental agricultural machinery to farmers switching to other crops and created specialized soybean cultivation areas.
As of the 5th, the price of mountain rice is 227,816 won per 80 kg, which is 45,116 won higher than last year's 182,700 won.
Jeonnam Province, which reduced the most rice cultivation area nationwide, is expected to receive point benefits in the 2026 government public reserve rice incentive quantity, RPC rice purchase funds, and high-quality rice distribution revitalization project.
Yu Deok-gyu, Director of the Food and Horticulture Division at Jeonnam Province, said, "The main contributor to the rise in rice prices is the farmer who has been cultivating rice for a lifetime and switched to soybeans and fodder," and added, "We will prepare various support measures so that both rice-cultivating farmers and those cultivating other crops in paddy fields can both benefit."