Minister Jeong Hwang-geun Conducts On-site Inspection of Summer Cabbage and Radish in Gangwon-do...Preemptive Measures for Supply Instability

[Asia Economy Sejong=Reporter Kim Hyewon] Jeong Hwang-geun, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, conducted an on-site inspection of the growth status and shipment conditions of summer cabbage and radish in the Gangwon region on the 13th.

Minister Jeong first visited a summer cabbage field located in Jinbu-myeon, Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon-do. Summer cabbage is mainly cultivated in open fields at high altitudes above 400 meters in Gangwon-do and is generally supplied to the market from mid-June to mid-October. It is a vegetable whose growth is greatly affected by weather conditions and has high price volatility, especially since it is grown during July and August when heatwaves, typhoons, and monsoons frequently occur. This year, the cultivation area of summer cabbage is expected to decrease by 3% from the average to 5,166 hectares due to last year's price decline, but the current crop condition is favorable and at the average level. However, growth conditions may change depending on future weather.

Next, Minister Jeong inspected the shipment control facility of Daegwallyeong Horticultural Cooperative located in Bangnim-myeon, Pyeongchang-gun. This is a cabbage storage facility that supplies a certain quantity to the wholesale market in case of supply instability. During the summer monsoon season, when cabbage supply is difficult, the shipment control facility supplies quantities to the market, contributing to supply stabilization.

Afterwards, Minister Jeong held a meeting with the Rural Development Administration, local governments, the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation, and the Korea Rural Economic Institute to review the supply and management status of cabbage and radish. At the meeting, Minister Jeong assessed that due to frequent rain and high temperatures continuing from late June, there is a possibility of poor crop conditions caused by the spread of diseases and pests. He urged, "Even radish and cabbage with good growth can suddenly be affected by diseases and pests, leading to poor crop conditions, so special attention must be paid to management."

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs plans to operate a crop management team consisting of the Rural Development Administration, local governments, the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation, and the Korea Rural Economic Institute to continuously monitor and share growth trends and disaster situations, and to respond jointly so that necessary measures such as technical guidance and pesticide support can be promptly taken when diseases occur.

The Ministry is promoting the purchase and stockpiling of 6,000 tons of cabbage and 2,000 tons of radish, and plans to be ready to immediately supply to the market the shipment control facility quantities contracted with the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation (5,000 tons of cabbage from July to September) and the summer cabbage and radish price stabilization quantities (75,000 tons of cabbage, 70,000 tons of radish) as needed.

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