Assemblyman Seo Samsuk: "Retroactive Application Needed for This Year's Crop Cold Damage"

Significant Increase Confirmed for Natural Disaster Recovery Funds in Agriculture Sector

Seosamseok, Democratic Party of Korea member of the National Assembly (Yeongam, Muan, Sinan, Jeollanam-do) / ⓒ Asia Economy

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Seo Young-seo] The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and related ministries confirmed on the 11th that they will significantly increase the natural disaster recovery costs, including pesticide costs, green onion costs, and facility restoration costs.ⓒ

According to the presidential decree, "Regulations on Standards for Burden of Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Costs," the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the Ministry of Strategy and Finance consult annually to announce the recovery support unit prices in the agricultural sector. The confirmed increased support unit prices will be applied from the heavy rain period between July 28 and August 11.

According to the "Status of Adjustment of Natural Disaster Recovery Support Unit Prices" data submitted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Korea Forest Service to Democratic Party lawmaker Seo Sam-seok (Yeongam, Muan, Sinan) on the 14th, support unit prices for 123 out of 125 items under the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and 31 out of 34 items under the Korea Forest Service have been increased.

For items not covered by disaster insurance, such as pesticide costs, green onion costs, livestock stocking costs, and facility restoration costs, the support unit prices were reflected at 100% of the actual transaction price. For disaster insurance-covered items with support unit prices less than 50% of the actual transaction price, the prices were adjusted to 30% to 50% of the actual transaction price.

The pesticide cost support unit price for fruit trees such as pears, persimmons, apples, and peaches was raised from 199 KRW per 1㎡, which was 79.9% of the actual transaction price, to 249 KRW per 1㎡, reflecting 100%. The pesticide cost support unit price for astringent persimmons, classified as forest products, was also adjusted from the previous 110 KRW per 1㎡ to 249 KRW, reflecting 100% of the actual transaction price.

Lawmaker Seo Sam-seok stated, "While this increase in disaster support unit prices is welcome, it is regrettable that the increased prices are not applied retroactively to the nationwide crop cold damage that occurred in April." He added, "We will continue to strive to expand support measures for agriculture and fisheries sectors against various natural disasters through retroactive compensation for this year's cold damage, legal and institutional improvements, and budget increases."

Meanwhile, lawmaker Seo Sam-seok visited the cold damage sites of pear, apple, and persimmon crops on April 27 to hear opinions from the field regarding disaster damage. He also took the lead in proposing two legislative amendments: the "Partial Amendment to the Agricultural and Fishery Disaster Insurance Act," which raises the national subsidy rate for disaster insurance premiums, and the "Partial Amendment to the Agricultural and Fishery Disaster Countermeasures Act," which provides grounds for declaring special agricultural and fishery disaster areas and special support.

On June 29, the Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans and Fisheries Committee strongly urged the increase of pesticide cost support unit prices for fruit trees damaged by cold during the third supplementary budget for COVID-19 response.

In addition, lawmaker Seo Sam-seok has continuously urged effective compensation measures for agricultural and fishery disasters through meetings of the Democratic Party's standing committee secretariat and other channels.

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