(Kimje=Yonhap News) Reporter Baek Do-in = The Jeonbuk Kimje City Council adopted a motion to "withdraw the review of reducing the cultivation area of soybeans and glutinous rice and urge the restoration of trust in agricultural policy" at the annual extraordinary session on the 20th.
The council pointed out in the motion, which was mainly proposed by Representative Hwang Bae-yeon, that "the government had actively encouraged the cultivation of soybeans and glutinous rice to resolve the oversupply of rice and increase the self-sufficiency rate of food since 2023, but recently suggested reducing the cultivation area," stating that "this act undermines the predictability and consistency of agricultural policy itself."
It continued, "Farmers have made significant investments and efforts in switching crops, such as preparing agricultural machinery and facilities and acquiring cultivation techniques, trusting the government's policy direction," emphasizing that "changing the policy abruptly causes great confusion and distrust among farmers and shakes the foundation of local agriculture."
The council stated, "In particular, Kimje expanded the soybean cultivation area to the largest in the nation at 7,200 hectares in line with government policy, and also established seven production areas for glutinous rice," and demanded, "Instead of reducing the cultivation area of soybeans and glutinous rice, devise practical measures to expand consumption."
doin100@yna.co.kr