Gyeonggi-do held a seminar for female farmers with about 200 female farmers present at the Gyeonggi-do Women’s Hall on the 18th.

At this seminar, education about management techniques, recognizing of the role of female farmers and advisement directions for Gyeonggi-do brand rice and other farm produces.

The director of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry made an announcement on the expanding the farming of the Chu Cheong rice plants, which is the high quality rice plant cultivated in Gyeonggi-do. He also said that the farming area of Chu Cheong rice plants takes up 86,053ha (74% of total farming area) and 59 farming complexes of high quality rice takes up 30,623ha.

For the expansion of the production basis of high quality rice and the stable production of rice through improved fertility, RPC (Rice Processing Complex) facilities to dry and store rice will be established. After the establishment of 3 drying and storing facilities (2,800 tons) this year, 8 more facilities with the capacity of 7,400 tons will be established. These facilities are planned to process 80% of the total production output of the province until 2008.

To expand the basis for eco-friendly agriculture, rice-farming techniques using ducks and mud snails will be extended to 3,961ha (1,321ha added).

In addition, the role of farmers to promote rice consumption was stressed to push forward with the production of high quality rice to secure competitive power. To deal with the rice competition between regions due to the fall in the price of rice, rice branding and direct transaction through electronic commerce will be propelled.