(Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Yoon-gu = The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced on the 14th that it will provide 43.6 billion won in disaster relief funds for approximately 49,000 hectares (1 hectare is 10,000 square meters) nationwide affected by damage from rice false smut and other diseases. Rice false smut is a fungal disease that causes dark brown spots on leaves and ears, and it has spread nationwide this year due to repeated abnormal high temperatures and frequent rainfall around the rice heading period (mid-August). In response, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has recognized rice false smut as an agricultural disaster and has been conducting on-site damage assessments. According to the survey results, damage from rice false smut and other diseases was confirmed in 49,305 hectares (34,145 farms) nationwide, including 28,990 hectares in South Jeolla Province and 17,280 hectares in North Jeolla Province. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs plans to provide disaster relief funds for pesticide costs, crop damage, and living expenses to affected farms, and also plans to support the deferment of agricultural policy fund repayments and interest relief based on the damage rate. ykim@yna.co.kr