Gyeongnam Provincial Council: "Significant Damage to Farms from Zucchini Stigma, Compensation Required"

The Agriculture, Fisheries, and Marine Affairs Committee of the Gyeongnam Provincial Council proposed a government recommendation urging compensation for damage to zucchini farming households at the 403rd extraordinary session held on the 12th.

Recently, an unapproved genetically modified organism (LMO) was detected in processed foods made from domestically produced zucchini, leading the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety to recall the products and temporarily suspend the distribution and sale of all processed foods made from zucchini.

Through the recommendation, the committee stated, "This unapproved genetically modified zucchini incident occurred due to the government's lax management, but the innocent farmers are bearing the brunt of the damage."

They added, "In the Gyeongnam region, one of the nation's leading zucchini production areas, there are 303 farming households, accounting for 61% of all farms," and demanded compensation for the damage.

A meeting of the Agriculture, Fisheries, and Marine Affairs Committee of the Gyeongnam Provincial Council is taking place. [Photo by Gyeongnam Provincial Council]

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According to the committee, on March 26, the government determined that some zucchini seeds produced and distributed domestically were unapproved LMOs, halted shipments, conducted a full investigation, and resumed shipments from April 3.

The committee reported, "During the shipment suspension period, the zucchinis lost their marketability and could not be sold, and a stigma arose that zucchini were dangerous, causing prices to plummet. Farms testing positive for LMO discarded all their zucchinis and are protesting their unfair labeling as LMO zucchini cultivators."

The recommendation includes ▲a thorough investigation of the scale of damage to farms caused by the unapproved LMO zucchini incident ▲establishment of practical compensation measures ▲alleviation of consumer anxiety ▲active measures to normalize the zucchini market ▲strengthening seed quarantine (related to LMO seeds) ▲and establishment of measures to prevent recurrence.

If the government recommendation is finally approved at the 2nd plenary session on the 20th, the committee plans to deliver it to the Blue House, the National Assembly, the Prime Minister, the Chairperson of the National Assembly Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans and Fisheries Committee, and the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

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