60 Tons of Giant Apple Snails Supplied for Weed Control... Hampyeong-gun Supports Eco-Friendly Rice Production

[Hampyeong=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Chunsu] Hampyeong-gun, Jeollanam-do announced on the 1st that it will supply 60 tons of apple snails for weed control to produce eco-friendly rice as the rice planting season begins in earnest.

Based on the applications received from rice farming households in the area, the county selected 4,709 households (5,121 hectares) and decided to support 60 tons of apple snails for weed control in rice farming.

The supply amount is 12 kg per hectare, with a total project cost of 608.38 million KRW.

The apple snail farming method is an eco-friendly farming technique that uses the herbivorous characteristics of apple snails instead of herbicides to remove weeds, which is effective for natural circulation, ecosystem preservation, and reducing weed control costs and labor.

However, due to ongoing climate warming allowing apple snails to overwinter, farmers practicing the apple snail method must install separate barriers to prevent apple snails from escaping into the natural environment, and must collect them after use.

A county official said, “According to the revised guidelines, farmers who do not cultivate winter crops or perform deep plowing after project completion may be restricted from applying for the project from next year. We ask for farmers’ active cooperation in post-management to prevent ecological damage caused by apple snails used in eco-friendly agriculture.”

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