Mini-Outlook Conference for Highland Vegetables Held for Stable Supply, Demand

The Korea Rural Economic Institute (KREI) and Nonghyup Agribusiness Group Inc. held a mini-outlook conference for stabilizing the supply and demand of highland vegetables in the Emerald Room, Tower Condominium, Yongpyong Resort in Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province, April 3. The event was attended by approximately 130 people including highland vegetable farmers, producer groups, distributors, the Agricultural Cooperative, the Agricultural Technology Center, and local government officials in the Gangwon region.

In the highland mini-outlook conference, Horticulture Office Director Choi Byungok at KREI’s Department of Agricultural Outlook presented the current status of the agricultural outlook service and the result of a survey on farmers’ intention to cultivate highland vegetables. Secretary Seo Jeongho at the Horticulture Industry Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs made a presentation on the policy direction for stabilizing vegetable supply and demand, Vegetable Team Leader Kim Donggyun at the Department of Product Alliance of Nonghyup Agribusiness Group on the present state and future plan of the vegetable supply-demand stabilization project, and Dr. Park Suhyeong at the Department of Horticultural Crop Research of the National Institute of Horticultural & Herbal Science under the Rural Development Administration on cultivation technologies and disease and insect pest control for highland Chinese cabbage and a positive list system (PLS).

The presentations were followed by a wrap-up discussion and a question and answer session. In the Q&A session, many farmers expressed their concern over production instability due to changes in climate conditions and disease and pest and anxiety about the implementation of the PLS.