Eight specialized crops to lead agricultural development in Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea

The Rural Development Administration and Gyeongsangnam-do Agricultural Technology Institute in South Korea are investing KRW 30.2 billion by 2025 to boost the productivity and reduction of production costs of eight specialized crops, including onions, insects, paprika, sweet persimmons, chrysanthemums, apples, bellflowers, and mangoes in Gyeongnam. The strategy includes developing new varieties, improving cultivation technologies, establishing processing and distribution systems, and expanding domestic and international markets. The goal is to increase the average annual income growth rate of farm households in the region more than twice the national average. Specific objectives include increasing onion seed self-sufficiency, promoting mechanization, enhancing the utility of insect farms, improving apple production, boosting bellflower production, and expanding mango cultivation areas. The initiative is part of a larger plan to identify 69 regionally specialized crops across nine provinces.