Hwasun-gun Opens Applications for 'Golden Apple Snail Supply Project' Targeting Rice Paddy Farmers

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Young-gyun] Hwasun-gun, Jeollanam-do (Governor Gu Chung-gon) announced on the 5th that it will accept applications for the supply of apple snails (juveniles) to paddy rice farmers from the 5th to the 27th of next month.

This project is promoted to realize low-cost herbicide-free farming using the snail farming method centered on eco-friendly complexes, preserving soil and water quality environments, and reducing production costs for farmers.

Apple snails have excellent weed control effects and rarely cause damage such as eating rice plants. When apple snails are released after rice transplanting to level the paddy field and prevent the paddy bottom from being exposed above water, the weed control effect exceeds 99%, allowing rice to be grown without herbicides.

The county has additionally secured a county budget to expand the support target for apple snails, increasing by 10 million KRW from last year to 490 million KRW.

Applications must be submitted to the Industry Team at the Eup/Myeon Administrative Welfare Center where the farmland is located, and apple snails will be supplied to all farmers who submit support applications.

Not only eco-friendly certified farms but also general (conventional) rice farming households practicing the snail farming method can apply, and from this year, an additional pledge to install and collect apple snail leakage prevention facilities must be submitted.

Eco-friendly certified farms will be supplied 12 kg per 1 hectare of rice cultivation area free of charge, and general farms will be supplied 11 kg.

A county official said, “We will support apple snails to establish the foundation of eco-friendly agriculture, further foster it, and enhance the competitiveness of agriculture.”

For more details, please contact the Eco-friendly Agriculture Team of the Agricultural Policy Division.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.