[AirUP, On Site] Protecting 'Food Security' through Development of Differentiated K-Mill Varieties

Rural Development Administration National Institute of Crop Science 'Wheat Research Building'
Domestic Researchers Achieve World's First Development of 'Wheat Allergy-Reduced Variety'... Patents Registered in US and China
Current Wheat Self-Sufficiency Rate Only 1%... Targeting 5% by 2025 and 10% by 2030

Kim Kyung-hoon, an agricultural researcher, is examining wheat being cultivated in the "Speed Breeding" laboratory set up in the Wheat Research Building at the National Institute of Crop Science in Wanju-gun, Jeonbuk. (Photo by Rural Development Administration)

[Asia Economy, Wanju (Jeonbuk) = Reporter Son Seon-hee] The National Institute of Crop Science under the Rural Development Administration, located on the site of the Innovation City in Wanju-gun, Jeonbuk. After driving for about five minutes through the vast research crop cultivation fields that could easily be mistaken for farmland, we arrived at the 'Wheat Research Building.' In the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which brought 'food security' to the forefront of global issues, this is the only place in Korea dedicated solely to wheat research, opened last month.

Inside the research building, walking down the first-floor corridor and opening a door that looked no different from any other meeting room, there was unexpectedly well-maintained wheat that looked like ornamental plants. This is the 'speed breeding' laboratory, where wheat, a crop that grows once a year, is cultivated up to four times a year. The humidity and temperature felt stifling, as if inside a greenhouse. Wheat at completely different growth stages?from lush green leaves to fully ripened golden wheat?were growing compartmentalized in one space. Agricultural researcher Kim Kyung-hoon (Ph.D. in Agriculture) explained, "Developing wheat varieties usually takes at least 13 years, but thanks to the speed breeding laboratory, the research period has been dramatically shortened to 8 years."

Due to the increasingly Westernized dietary culture, wheat has emerged as the 'second staple crop' after rice. The annual domestic wheat consumption is 33 kg (as of 2019), which far exceeds half of the rice consumption (59.2 kg). This means that one meal out of three daily meals is 'bread instead of rice.'

So, what is the self-sufficiency rate of wheat, whose consumption has surged like this? Surprisingly, it is only about 1%. Ninety-nine percent of the wheat consumed by Koreans depends on imports. The wheat self-sufficiency rate has become a major issue recently as wheat prices soared due to the Ukraine crisis.

The wheat imported into Korea is practically divided between the United States and Australia, each accounting for 47%. The biggest advantage of imported wheat is price competitiveness based on overwhelming production capacity. Domestic wheat is 2.5 to 3 times more expensive than imported wheat. Moreover, domestic wheat does not have uniform quality because it is not classified into strong, medium, or weak flour according to processing purposes. Korea spends nearly 1 trillion won annually on foreign currency for wheat imports. In this situation, the goal of this research institute is to pioneer markets for domestic wheat and ultimately secure food security. Researcher Kim said, "Ultimately, the key is differentiation through research and development (R&D). We are pursuing a premium strategy by developing specialized varieties unique to domestic wheat."

Researchers at the Rural Development Administration's National Institute of Crop Science 'Wheat Research Center' are introducing domestic wheat varieties such as 'Opri' and 'Ariheuk'. Opri is the world's first wheat variety confirmed to have an allergy-reducing effect and has successfully registered international patents in the United States, China, and other countries. (Photo by Rural Development Administration)

There have been some notable achievements. In 2017, the research team succeeded in developing 'Opri,' the world's first wheat variety that reduces allergic reactions. The name means 'Free' of the antigen (omega) identified as the allergen. International patents have been registered in the United States and China, and a patent application has been filed in Europe. Although rare domestically, in the United States, one in 100 people is diagnosed with celiac disease (wheat allergy). Targeting these individuals, plans are underway to export processed foods such as ramen made with Opri wheat. The first domestic colored wheat, 'Ariheuk,' has also been recognized for its marketability. It can be used in various products such as bread, noodles, and whole wheat rice made from black wheat.

However, domestic wheat research is still at an early stage, and it is not easy to achieve results in a short period. From variety development to transferring cultivation methods to actual farms, producing processed foods by supplying wheat, and securing consumers, it takes several years, sometimes decades. Currently, 12 researchers and about 30 support staff work in the wheat research building. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has been implementing the 'Wheat Industry Promotion Act' since February 2020. The goal is to raise the wheat self-sufficiency rate to 5% by 2025 and 10% by 2030. Ultimately, to achieve this, securing a steady budget, investing in personnel, and ensuring organizational stability are considered top priorities.

The 'Wheat Research Building' of the National Institute of Crop Science, Rural Development Administration, located in Wanju-gun, Jeonbuk, opened in March 2022.

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