(Hadong=Yonhap News) Reporter Park Jeong-heon = On the 13th, Hadong County in Gyeongnam Province announced that it will launch a "Special Loan Program" to help farmers affected by last month's heavy rains.
The total scale of the program is 35 billion won, combining the county's "Interest Subsidy Support Program" budget of 20 billion won and 15 billion won from the provincial rural development fund.
The county will fully support the interest incurred when farmers borrow facility funds from financial institutions, allowing farmers to effectively use the funds at no interest.
Farmers can apply for an amount of 5 million won or more per farm, up to a maximum of 100 million won.
The support is limited to the construction of new greenhouses and the installation of high-altitude cultivation facilities. Purchases of agricultural machinery, consumable materials, and operating funds are excluded.
Applications can be made at the relevant township offices until the 21st.
County head Ha Seung-cheol said, "This special loan is an extended hand to farmers who have fallen into difficulty due to flood damage," and expressed hope that "this unique special policy, which is not available in other regions, will become a stepping stone for farmers to recover."