(Pyeongchang=Yonhap News) Reporter Im Bo-yeon = The Pyeongchang County Rice Farmers Association held a rice harvesting event on the 22nd at the eco-friendly rice paddies in Hu-pyeong-ri, Pyeongchang-eup, to harvest environmentally friendly rice for school meals.
The event was attended by about 60 people, including Pyeongchang County Mayor Shim Jae-guk, members of the Pyeongchang County Rice Farmers Association, and staff from the Pyeongchang County Agricultural Technology Center. All 25 tons of environmentally friendly rice produced in the county this year will be supplied to elementary, middle, and high schools in the region through the Pyeongchang Food Support Center.
The rice variety harvested on the day, "Alchanmi," is a mid-season variety with strong resistance to rice blast, white leaf blight, and stripe leaf blight. It is highly stable in cultivation, with minimal damage from typhoons and other adverse weather conditions, and is known for its clear and transparent grains, resulting in excellent rice flavor and quality.
Park Chang-dong, President of the Pyeongchang County Rice Farmers Association, said, "Although managing environmentally friendly rice cultivation is not easy, we have been doing our best to produce safe rice using organic farming methods, thinking about the children who will eat it." He added, "We will continue to strive to produce high-quality rice that can be trusted and consumed."
Pyeongchang County Mayor Shim Jae-guk said, "Despite the difficult conditions of increased pest and disease outbreaks due to prolonged heat and heavy rains, I deeply appreciate the efforts of the farmers who have worked hard to produce environmentally friendly, high-quality rice." He continued, "We will expand the area for growing environmentally friendly rice for school meals to provide healthy food to students."