Assemblyman Seo Samsuk Urges for Fundamental Measures to Stabilize Rice Prices

'Government That Gave Up on Rice Has Given Up on Food Security' Criticism of Inadequate Government Response

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Jae-kyung] Amid the price collapse crisis severely threatening the minimum income stability of rice farmers, strong demands have been raised to immediately implement additional market isolation and to establish fundamental price stabilization measures.

Assemblyman Seo Samsuk (The Democratic Party, Yeongam-Muan-Shinan) held a press conference on the 13th at the National Assembly Communication Hall together with Democratic Party lawmakers from Jeonnam and Jeonbuk, stating, “The market isolation of 270,000 tons implemented earlier did not help resolve the rice price collapse crisis due to issues with the timing of implementation and the price determination method,” urging the government accordingly.

The demands raised include ▲government reflection and fundamental change in perception regarding agricultural policy realities ▲immediate implementation of additional market isolation to resolve the urgent rice price issue ▲amendment of the Grain Management Act to legally mandate market isolation measures when conditions are met ▲legislation to guarantee production costs for rice items ▲and amendment of the Agricultural and Fishery Disaster Countermeasures Act to mandate national compensation for production losses due to natural disasters.

The farm-gate rice price has continuously declined even after the government announced market isolation in December last year, falling to 183,000 won per 80kg as of the most recent date, June 5 this year, a drop of 18.3% compared to 224,000 won in the same period last year.

As of May this year, rice stock in nationwide Nonghyup warehouses reached 760,000 tons, a 77.7% surge compared to 430,000 tons the previous year. Voices from the field warn that if rice is not transferred to government grain warehouses through market isolation, a rice purchase crisis could occur, severely damaging farmers' incomes.

Assemblyman Seo Samsuk asserted, “The government has consistently maintained a passive attitude toward the structural problem of the rice market, which was predictable due to oversupply caused by increased production and decreased consumption.”

He continued, “The method hastily pushed forward as a formality called reverse auction bidding has forced participating farmers to sell rice at rock-bottom prices, providing no help for income compensation and instead pushing them to endure production cost deficits,” conveying the dire situation on the ground.

Assemblyman Seo said, “In a situation where food self-sufficiency is raised as a matter of national security due to the COVID-19 pandemic and international conflicts, excluding rice, which has a self-sufficiency rate in the 90% range, the domestic food self-sufficiency rate is only 10%,” and strongly criticized the government’s rice price policy, saying, “A government that has abandoned rice is no different from a government that has abandoned agricultural policy and food security.”

Finally, he urged once again for fundamental measures, stating, “There is a high risk of repeated oversupply and price collapse this year as well,” and “Without government reflection and a major shift in perception regarding the harsh agricultural reality, the extinction of rural farming communities can only accelerate in this desperate situation.”

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