Haenam-gun's 'Haenam Food Integration Support Center' Fully Operational

Supply of Eco-Friendly Agricultural Ingredients to Public School Meal Centers Starting in September

New Haenam-gun Local Food Direct Store in Gyo-ri, Haenam-eup Also Opening This Month

Haenam-gun Office Building Exterior Photo by Asia Economy

[Haenam＝Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Hyun] The ‘Haenam Food Integrated Support Center,’ which will serve as the control tower for establishing a virtuous cycle system for food in Haenam-gun, Jeollanam-do, is set to begin full-scale operation.

According to the county on the 2nd, starting from the 1st, through the operation of the Public School Meal Support Center, eco-friendly food ingredients have been supplied to 78 locations including all schools and childcare facilities in the area.

The Public School Meal Support Center located in Sangdeung-ri, Masan-myeon will serve as a supply base providing ‘face-to-face’ healthy food to students in the area.

In particular, it was found that the supply volume of Haenam-produced goods among the ordered quantities increased from the previous average of 56% to 72% during the month of September, greatly contributing to revitalizing the local economy. Moreover, by reducing distribution stages, food ingredients can be supplied to local schools and childcare facilities at affordable prices.

Along with this, the local food direct sales store in Gugyo-ri, Haenam-eup has completed new construction and will open within this month. The county plans to officially open it in early next month after a one-month pilot operation in September for stable settlement.

During the pilot operation period, the county will recruit additional new shippers, provide education on shipping methods and shipping rules to producers, organize shipping farm items, and conduct consumer promotions.

Currently, about 300 farmers wish to ship to the direct sales store, and the plan is to expand this to about 500 farmers and secure up to 500 product items.

The direct sales store is a two-story building with a site area of 2,078㎡ and a total floor area of 991㎡. The first floor houses fresh agricultural products, processed goods, and local agricultural products including a meat corner, while the second floor consists of the center office, a communication space (rest area) for consumers and producers, and a food education center.

Haenam-gun has been promoting the ‘Haenam 2030 Food Plan’ to establish a virtuous cycle system for providing healthy and safe food to local residents and ensuring stable income for local farmers.

Earlier, the foundation corporation ‘Haenam Food Integrated Support Center,’ an organization to perform integrated policy functions related to food, was launched in May, and it will directly operate and manage the county’s local food direct sales store and public school meal support center going forward.

County Governor Myeong Hyun-gwan stated, “With the full-scale operation of the Haenam Food Integrated Support Center, we can accelerate the establishment of a food circulation system that provides healthy food to consumers and guarantees a stable income system for farmers. As the control tower for our local food, the Haenam Food Integrated Support Center will meticulously plan the entire process of production, distribution, and consumption of local agricultural products, completing the food system to supply 100% local agricultural products not only to the local food direct sales store but also to public school meals.”

Haenam=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Hyun kh0424@asiae.co.kr

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