▲ Citizens are shopping at a large supermarket in Seoul.
The government has decided to secure 34,000 tons of spring and summer napa cabbage and radishes to ensure a swift supply to the market in the event of reduced shipments due to factors such as heavy rain. Additionally, it plans to import and supply more than 30 million fresh eggs.
To address the rising demand for chicken during the summer, 17 million hatching eggs will be imported sequentially.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) announced on Wednesday (June 17) that it has formed a "Summer Agricultural and Livestock Supply Stabilization Task Force" and held an inaugural meeting to share these plans, as the likelihood of weather disasters such as heatwaves and torrential rain has increased due to recent climate change.
MAFRA plans to select key items for supply management, monitor their supply status weekly, and secure supply capacity through preemptive stockpiling for items where supply instability is a concern.
The ministry also intends to expand discount support to reduce the burden of inflation felt by consumers.
Furthermore, to minimize productivity declines caused by heatwaves, the government will provide temperature-reduction equipment—such as black-and-white mulching films, shading agents, cooling pads, and ventilation fans—to open-field farms, greenhouse horticulture facilities, orchards, and livestock barns.
The supply of nutritional supplements to pig and poultry farms will also be promoted.
Starting with today's first meeting, the supply stabilization task force plans to hold regular meetings every two weeks and conduct ad-hoc inspections by item if extreme weather events are expected.
In addition, MAFRA will cooperate with related organizations, including the Rural Development Administration, the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation (Nonghyup), and the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corp. (aT), to promptly release stockpiled goods and provide discount support if supply instability arises.
"We will closely manage the supply and demand of major items and strengthen advance preparations in collaboration with relevant agencies," said Kim Jong-gu, Vice Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. "In the event of a disaster, we will do our best to ensure a stable supply of agricultural and livestock products by supporting the swift resumption of production."
(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.