Research Reports
A Study on Improving Dry-field Farming Competitiveness in Response to the Expansion of Market Opening (Year 1 of 3)
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AuthorKim, Hongsang
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Publication Date2016.01.26
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Original
Background of Research
With the progress of the Korea-China FTA whose major issue is the expansion of field crop market opening, systematic research became necessary to enhance the competitiveness of upland farming. Market shares of foreign agricultural products in the domestic market have already reached a considerable level. Moreover, with overall changes in consumption structures of field crops and the changes in the import opening environment, the production composition by major items is changing, and cultivation acreage of upland crops in paddies and greenhouses has expanded. In order to respond to these changes in the environment, it is needed to examine the present status and problems of dry-field farming and to draw tasks to improve its competitiveness.
Method of Research
To identify the current state and problems of upland farming, we analyzed various statistical data and domestic and foreign literature and policy materials, and conducted local case studies, interviews with farmers, and a survey on farmers' awareness. We also utilized diverse forms of experts' advice and policy meetings with policymakers, and employed the product/market matrix technique to analyze changes in product types according to market changes. And we analyzed growth factors of dry-field farming through IO-SDA based on interindustry analysis and major producing areas' efficiency through data envelopment analysis (DEA) and the Tobit Model.
Research Results and Implications
As cultivation acreage of field crops in paddies and facilities is expanding according to the analysis of changes in farmland use and upland farming structures, it is needed to newly define the concept of dry-field farming and the scope of policy objects. The analysis of the composition of major upland crops' production costs and their competitiveness against Chinese imports in response to the Korea-China FTA shows that domestic production costs are three or four times higher owing to the differences in labor cost and land rents although the overall gap is deceasing. Thus, it is important to seek plans to systematically enhance competitiveness in the medium and long term, but market protection measures will be needed for a certain period of time. With expanded market opening related to upland farming and the changes in the composition and preference of consumers, some items' market shares have dropped, while other items' have increased. Accordingly, plans for each product in consideration of changes in market conditions are necessary.
The analysis of growth factors of dry-field farming indicates that investment in upland farming should be promoted in the mid and long term to raise the growth contribution rate of final demand for dry-field farming. Also, upland farming should be linked with the manufacturing (especially food and agricultural input sectors) and service (especially restaurant and accommodation sectors) industries that have high forward and backward linkage effects. In addition, despite the intensified concentration in major production areas, the areas' production efficiency is generally unclear. Thus, it is important to seek measures to improve major producing areas' performance in implementing the policy focusing on the areas.
According to the results of the survey on farmers' upland farming management situation and awareness, they stressed facilitating labor supply, stabilizing prices through agricultural production control, developing high-quality agricultural varieties and production technologies, and expanding a field infrastructure improvement project.
Among the tasks to improve dry-field farming competitiveness, first, a switch of the policy direction includes overcoming field-centered thinking; comprehensively understanding the relation of market conditions, non-agricultural sectors, and upland farming; seeking differentiated strategies by regions and types; and specifying the goals and scope of competitiveness improvement. Second, as for the tasks to enhance policy performance, we presented establishing plans to innovatively improve dry-field farming infrastructures and to secure labor; preparing ways to enhance outcomes centered on major producing sites; implementing regional projects by items; reforming the policy implementation system based on the expansion of farmers' participation; dividing short- and long-term measures; and increasing the ability to respond to changes in market conditions.
Researchers: Kim Hongsang, Chae Gwangseok, Yoon Sungeun, Lee Yongsun
Research period: 2015. 1. ~ 2015. 12.
E-mail address: hskim@krei.re.kr
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