Naju-si, Accepting Applications for 'Basic Public Interest Direct Payment System' Until May 31

[Naju=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yukbong] Naju City, Jeollanam-do announced on the 17th that it will accept applications for the ‘2022 Basic Public Interest Direct Payment System’ until May 31.

The Basic Public Interest Direct Payment System is a program that provides subsidies to farmers to promote the public value of agriculture and rural areas and stabilize farm income, divided into small-scale direct payments and area-based direct payments.

To shift agricultural policy from rice-centered to improve fairness among farms, since 2020, rice, field, and disadvantaged area direct payments have been integrated and supported.

This year, considering the prolonged COVID-19 situation, non-face-to-face simple applications using the internet and smartphones will be accepted until June 1, and from June 4 to May 31, applications by visiting eup, myeon, and dong offices will be accepted concurrently.

Eligible applicants include farmers and agricultural corporations whose basic direct payment registration information from last year and agricultural management entity registration information for this year have no changes.

Among farmers who have registered agricultural management information, those who are ‘existing recipients who have legitimately received rice, field, or disadvantaged area direct payments at least once between 2016 and 2019,’ ‘those selected as successor agricultural managers, full-time farmers, or full-time farmer development targets,’ and ‘new applicants who have engaged in farming on payment-eligible farmland of 1,000㎡ or more for at least one year in the last three years before applying for direct payments’ are included.

The eligible farmland must be farmland that was ‘used for paddy farming between 1998 and 2000,’ ‘used for agriculture in disadvantaged areas between 2003 and 2005,’ or ‘used for field farming between 2012 and 2014,’ and must have received direct payments legitimately at least once between 2017 and 2019.

However, those with ‘annual comprehensive income excluding agriculture of 37 million KRW or more,’ ‘farmland area used for agriculture less than 1,000㎡,’ ‘those whose direct payment application area decreased compared to the previous year without justifiable reason,’ ‘those ordered to dispose of farmland,’ and ‘those who occupy farmland without permission’ are excluded from eligibility.

Non-face-to-face applications consist of four steps: ‘checking the guidance text and clicking the link,’ ‘identity verification such as name and resident registration number,’ ‘consent to provide personal information,’ and ‘confirmation of applicant and farmland information followed by submission of the application form.’

On-site applications can be made at eup, myeon, and dong administrative welfare centers where the farmland is located from June 4 to May 31.

Eligible for on-site application are farmers who did not apply non-face-to-face, new applicants, out-of-area cultivators, and agricultural corporations.

Direct payments should be applied only for farmland actually cultivated, excluding abandoned areas where crops cannot be grown.

When cultivating leased farmland, a lease contract or equivalent document must be submitted.

Small-scale direct payments provide 1.2 million KRW annually regardless of area if all conditions such as farming period of all household members, rural residence period, non-agricultural income, and farmland ownership area are met.

For area-based direct payments, the application area is divided into three sections: up to 2 hectares, over 2 hectares up to 6 hectares, and over 6 hectares, with a regressive unit price (1 million to 2.05 million KRW per hectare) applied by section.

However, compliance with 17 requirements such as chemical fertilizer usage standards, proper disposal of agricultural waste, and completion of public interest promotion education is mandatory, and violations result in a 10% reduction of the total direct payment.

A city official said, “Operating the non-face-to-face application period will improve the safety and convenience of farmers applying for direct payments,” and added, “We hope farmers actively comply with the requirements to avoid disadvantages due to direct payment reductions.”

Naju=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yukbong bong2910@asiae.co.kr

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