Food Self-Sufficiency Rate Hits 45.8%, Lowest in Over a Decade... "More Than Half Are Imported"

The grain self-sufficiency rate is only 21%

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyunjung] South Korea's food self-sufficiency rate has fallen by more than 10 percentage points over the past decade. The grain self-sufficiency rate remained at around 20%.

According to data on the 'Domestic Food Self-Sufficiency Rate and Grain Self-Sufficiency Rate' received by Eo Gigu, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea from the National Assembly Agriculture, Forestry, Livestock, Food, and Fisheries Committee, from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs on the 4th, last year’s domestic food self-sufficiency rate was recorded at 45.8%. This is a decrease of 10.4 percentage points from 56.2% in 2009.

The food self-sufficiency rate dropped to 45.2% in 2011, recovered to the 50% level in 2015, but then declined again to 48.7% in 2017, 46.9% in 2018, and 45.8% in 2019. During the same period, the grain self-sufficiency rate fell by 8.6 percentage points from 29.6% to 21.0%.

The grain self-sufficiency rate has drawn a downward curve since peaking in 2009, reaching its lowest point in the past decade last year.

Previously, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs set a 2017 food self-sufficiency rate target of 57.0% and a grain self-sufficiency rate target of 30% in the 'Agriculture, Rural and Food Industry Development Plan' announced in 2013, but the actual figures fell far short of these goals.

The 2013 plan set targets for 2022 at 60.0% for food self-sufficiency and 32.0% for grain self-sufficiency, but in 2018, the Ministry lowered these targets to 55.4% and 27.3%, respectively. However, if the current trend continues, it will be difficult to reach even the downwardly revised 2022 targets.

Regarding this, Assemblyman Eo Gigu pointed out, "South Korea’s food self-sufficiency rate remains below 50%, indicating a serious dependence on food imports," and emphasized, "Measures to ensure stable grain production and secure sales channels must be prepared to increase the self-sufficiency rate."

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