(Sejong=Yonhap News) Reporter Ahn Chae-won = This year's rice production amounted to approximately 3.54 million tons, decreasing by about 40,000 tons compared to last year, marking the second-lowest production in history. The rice cultivation area was the smallest since statistics began to be compiled.
According to the '2025 Rice Cultivation Area (Final) and Crop Production Volume Survey Results' released by the Korea Data Agency (formerly the Statistics Korea) on the 13th, this year's rice production was 3.539 million tons, a 1.3% decrease from last year.
Rice production has decreased for four consecutive years, following the 3.507 million tons in 2020, and this year marks the second-lowest production volume in history.
The primary reason for the decrease in production is analyzed to be the reduction in the cultivation area. This year's cultivation area was 678,000 hectares, a 2.9% decrease from last year, making it the smallest ever.
This is reportedly due to the impact of the government's appropriate production policy to balance the supply and demand of rice.
However, the productivity per unit area has improved. The production per 10 ares (1 are = 100 square meters) was 522 kg, a 1.7% increase from last year.
This is explained by the better overall weather conditions for growth compared to last year and the decrease in the percentage of damage from diseases and pests.
The Data Agency explained that the decrease in rice production volume was larger than the previously announced forecast (-0.3%) due to frequent rain and increased damage from diseases and pests such as rice blast.
The rice production volume by province was highest in South Chungcheong (694,000 tons), South Jeolla (687,000 tons), and North Jeolla (543,000 tons).