Rice production in South Korea

Rice production in South Korea is important for the food supply in the country, with rice being a common part of the Korean diet. In 2009, South Korea produced 3,899,036 metric tonnes (4,297,951 tons) of rice.[1]
Rice is the most valuable crop in South Korea.[2] However, as noted by Donald S. Macdonald, rising wage levels and land values have made it expensive to produce. Rice represented about 90 percent of total grain production and over 40 percent of farm income; the 1988 rice crop was 6.5 million tonnes.[2] Rice was imported in the 1980s, but the amount depended on the success of domestic harvests. The government's rice support program reached a record of US$1.9 billion in 1986 compared to $890 million in 1985. By raising procurement prices by 14 percent to the 1986 level, Seoul achieved a rice price structure that was about five times that of the world market in 1987.[2]

Rice fields on the outskirts of Namwon

In 2015, South Korea's rice consumption hit a record low of 65.1 kg per person, while flour consumption was the highest since 2006 at 33.6 kg, according to industry and official data.[3] The South Korean government, which is subsidizing rice production and storage, has accumulated a large stockpile of rice.[4]

Rice Production Status

Rice Production in the Region of Korea
Rice Production in 2019~2021[5]
2019 2020 2021
Administrative districts Cultivation
area (ha)		 Production per
1,000 m2(kg)		 Total
production
(t)		 Cultivation
area (ha)		 Production per
1,000 m2(kg)		 Total
production
(t)		 Cultivation
area (ha)		 Production per
1,000 m2(kg)		 Total
production
(t)
Seoul 123 488 602 121 464 563 187 512 958
Busan 2,330 510 11,880 2,307 446 10,281 2,169 531 11,523
Daegu Metropolitan City 2,752 498 13,704 2,919 485 14,149 2,847 523 14,895
Incheon Metropolitan City 10,233 491 50,268 10,375 482 50,006 11,747 507 59,550
Gwangju Metropolitan City 5,020 491 24,644 4,966 457 22,696 4,910 510 25,047
Daejeon Metropolitan City 1,074 504 5,412 945 478 4,515 1,131 533 6,025
Ulsan Metropolitan City 3,897 466 18,146 3,907 456 17,798 3,793 497 18,837
Sejong City 3,943 532 20,980 3,891 508 19,754 3,340 547 18,281
Gyeonggi-do 76,642 488 373,740 75,127 464 348,221 74,717 512 382,680
Gangwon-do 28,640 527 150,901 28,405 448 127,387 28,903 538 155,501
Chungcheongbuk-do 33,247 523 173,916 32,745 491 160,623 33,403 523 174,848
Chungcheongnam-do 132,171 537 709,209 131,279 516 677,524 135,398 571 773,012
Jeollabuk-do 112,141 539 604,503 110,875 501 555,760 114,509 519 593,861
Jeollanam-do 153,919 471 724,643 156,026 441 687,299 155,101 508 788,567
Gyeongsangbuk-do 97,465 543 529,210 97,255 509 495,055 95,830 541 518,007
Gyeongsangnam-do 65,979 503 332,096 65,028 483 314,333 64,079 529 338,698
Jeju Island 8 215 16 8 231 18 6 382 21

Korea's Famous Rice brand
Icheon rice(이천쌀)

Icheon rice

Icheon rice(이천 쌀) is rice produced in Icheon, Gyeonggi-do. Icheon rice is the most preferred product among large and small retailers such as E-Mart, Lotte Mart, and Homeplus.[6] Icheon rice has fewer calories, fat, and protein than other regions, and thiamine, niacin, vitamins, and essential amino acids, which make rice taste better, and taste better than other local rice even after March to April of the following year. There are three reasons why Icheon rice tastes good. First, 88% of farmers in Icheon farm underground water. Second, Icheon, Gyeonggi-do, is a basin-type topography located in the center of the inland, and has excellent quality due to the large seasonal temperature difference and daily temperature difference between day and night, and has a good environment for growing rice due to the higher sunlight during the bearing season. Third, fertile soil. This is because the grayish brown clay content due to granite gneiss is high and it is made of decomposed granite soil so water can be controlled well and sufficient nutrition can be supplied until the late stage of growth.[7]

Yeoju rice (여주쌀)

Yeoju rice

Yeoju rice(여주 쌀) is rice produced in Yeoju, Gyeonggi-do. Yeoju rice has obtained a "G mark" that can be obtained only when certified by the governor of Gyeonggi-do.[6] The 'G Mark' is a brand mark given to agricultural products produced in Gyeonggi-do. The reason why Yeoju rice tastes good is that Yeoju is not located in an area greatly affected by drought and flooding, and there are also few high mountains, so the sun shines all day, and the daily temperature difference between day and night is larger than in other areas. Yeoju also has the best water quality because the Namhan River flows in the center. Finally, it can produce high-quality rice because it is produced on land with a lot of organic.[8]

Cheolwon odae rice (철원오대쌀)

Cheolwon odae rice

Cheolwon Odae(철원오대 쌀) rice is a land produced near the Demilitarized Zone in Cheolwon, Gangwon-do. Rice grains are larger than other rice, and the aging of rice is slow, so the taste can be maintained for a long time. Cheolwon Odae rice has a unique savory and sweet taste. It is also characterized by a white dot next to the grain of rice. It is cultivated in Cheolwon's plain, which is composed of basalt inorganic ocher soil and is rich in nutrition. In addition, Cheolwon has a large daily temperature difference, so it makes sticky rice.[6]

Falling in love at a glace rice(한눈에 반한 쌀)

Falling in love at a glance rice

Falling in love at a glance rice(한눈에 반한 쌀) is produced in Haenam, Jeollanam-do. This rice is used to make sushi very well.[6]

The rice was awarded the grand prize in 2006, 2007, and 2009 in the High-Quality Brand Rice Evaluation by the Korea Consumer Organization Council, and was selected as an excellent brand of rice for eight years.[9]

Rice Distribution and Consumption

Korea's Rice Export
Korea's Rice Export (2019~2021)[10]
2019 2020 2021
Country weight (t) amount of money ($1,000) weight (t) amount of money ($1,000) weight (t) amount of money ($1,000)
 US 495 1,274 869 2,185 514 1,667
 Australia 468 1,205 517 1,313 345 1,163
 Singapore 181 345 204 424 93 263
 Vietnam 63 155 131 247 97 229
 UAE 73 167 53 149 62 215
 Hong Kong 39 139 178 547 49 188
 UK 24 76 61 173 69 186
 Netherlands 29 131 20 61 41 153
 Canada 32 93 100 249 52 152
 Japan 34 96 17 57 34 123
Other countries 385 982 431 1,006 254 800
Sum 1,823 4,663 2,587 6,471 1,610 5,139

South Korea's major rice exporters are the United States, Australia, and Singapore, accounting for 60 percent of the total exports. As the demand for dining out increased due to the stabilization of COVID-19, the demand for Korean rice from overseas Korean markets such as the United States and Australia decreased.[10]

The U.S. exports about 500 tons annually to Korean marts and Korean restaurants. The demand for Korean food consumption for rice processed foods is increasing due to the popularity of K-contents.[10]

Japan exports about 30 tons a year. As rice processed foods, demand for traditional liquor and Sikhye is increasing.[10]

Vietnam exports about 97 tons of rice annually, and rice processed foods are increasing as entry into the Tteokbokki franchise expands.[10]

1. Annual consumption of rice per person in the household

Korea's rice consumption has been decreasing for 37 consecutive years since 1988. Rice consumption per capita in 2021 is 56.9%. This decreased by 1.4% (0.8 kg) compared to 2020.[11]

The reason for the decrease in rice consumption is known to be due to changes in eating habits. This is due to the decrease in the number of people who cook at home, and the spread of the culture of delivering various foods or eating out a lot. However, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs of South Korea explains that the extent of the decline in rice consumption last year has eased compared to the previous two years. In fact, last year's 1.4% decrease is less than 3.0% in 2019 and 2.5% in 2020. The first reason for the extent of the decline in rice consumption is the increase in demand for homemade meals due to the expansion of the home convenience market such as soup and stew. And the second is the increase in single-person households with relatively high rice consumption. The third reason is that after COVID-19, there are more people prefer home-cooked meals.[11]

2. Rice consumption in the company

Rice consumption in the 2021 business sector totaled 680,000 tons, up 30,000 tons (4.6%↑) from 650,000 tons in 2020. By industry, demand for lunch boxes, noodles, rice cakes, and cooked food for meals increased by more than 10% compared to the previous year, and demand for sugar and liquor decreased slightly. In particular, the manufacturing of lunch boxes increased by 16% in 2021 compared to 2020, and the demand for cooked food such as instant rice has been steadily increasing over the past three years.[12]

Rice consumption (2017–2021)[12]
Year Per person in the household (kg) In the company (t)
2017 61.8 708,000
2018 61.0 756,000
2019 59.2 744,000
2020 57.7 650,000
2021 56.9 680,000

The Economic Implications of Rice

Rice is suitable for regions affected by seasonal wind such as Korea, China, Japan, and Southeast Asia, and is one of the highest crops per unit area. In a country with narrow farmland like Korea, it is very efficient to grow crops with high land productivity, such as rice, to solve this food for a large population. For this reason, rice has been inextricably linked to the meaning of food as a staple food and the lives of the Korean people. In addition, the production, distribution, and consumption of rice have become the basis of the economy of the South Korea.[13]

Rice was used in place of money before money was created. When bartering, there were many difficulties in comparing the values of objects and dividing the quantity. To solve this problem, rice which is a daily necessity, was used. There is a record that rice was used as a currency during the reign of King Soji of Silla. This shows that rice was used as a currency even during the period of Three Kingdoms of Korea.[13]

After the currency was created, the monetary function of rice gradually disappeared, but the monetary function of rice remained in rural areas. In the case of paying farm rent between 1965 and 1981, the ratio of payment in kind. paid in rice was 70 to 94%, which greatly exceeded cash expenditure. In particular, rice was a symbol of the wealth of farmers in the process of economic development.[13]

Rice is our most important staple food and also accounts for a large portion of the nation's nutritional supply. In addition, rice is a basic food for the people and accounts for a high proportion of household expenses, so the rise in rice prices is a big pressure on household expenses for people living in cities. Furthermore, it acts as a wage increase factor and eventually causes an increase in general prices. In other words, this suggests that rice should not be too expensive or too cheap. Because if the price of rice is too high, people cannot buy it. On the other hand, if the price of rice is too low, it cannot guarantee the cost of living for farmers who grow rice.[13]

History of Rice Production

The most likely origin of Asian rice cultivated in Korea is the theory of the origin of Assam in northern India, and there are other theories of the origin of Yunnan in southern China and Southeast Asia.[14] However, the recent excavation of rice seeds from the earthen layer of the Paleolithic Age in Sorori, Chungcheingbuk-do, Korea, has raised new interest in the origin of rice and its propagation route[15]

Before the ancestors of the Republic of Korea ate rice, they ate mixed grains as a staple food. As rice entered Korea through the north, it was actively grown in Yeongnam and Honam regions, which have favorable climate conditions. Rice production in Baekje and Silla was high during the Three Kingdoms of Korea, and rice topped the list of staple foods, especially during the Unified Silla Period.[13] Rice in Korea is weak against falling and rice blasts, but it is resistant to cold and grows well even if there is insufficient water to suit our climate.[16]

As a result, rice cultivation became common in the Goryeo Dynasty, and rice cultivation was strengthened by making rice warehouses, improving cultivation methods, and expanding agricultural areas. As the population increased and the preference for rice increased, the production of rice became more necessary than in the past. During the Joseon Dynasty, rice planting methods spread throughout the country, increasing the amount of rice production.[13]

By the late Joseon Dynasty, farmers cultivated superior species. There were about 1,500 varieties of rice in South Korea. However, due to the policy of abolishing traditional rice during the Japanese colonial era and accepting Japanese rice varieties, only 55 species remained in 1935. And the harvest of rice decreased in 1978 due to damages by blight and harmful insects and cold weather damage. However, Korea was able to achieve substantial self-sufficiency in rice after the mid-1980s due to the technology developed in the development and distribution of Tongil Rice.[16]

Storage of Rice

Rice Storage Methods in Korea
Kimchi refrigerator

The Korea Rural Development Administration introduced a rice storage method that can reduce changes in the proper temperature and quality to keep rice fresh.

Since rice reacts sensitively to the outside temperature, it should be stored in an appropriate way to reduce quality changes. If the temperature of the place where rice is stored is high, the fat contained in the rice is combined with oxygen in the air, raising the acidity, and smelling, and deteriorating the taste of rice. In an experiment conducted by the Korea Rural Development Administration to examine changes in rice quality according to storage temperature, rice stored at 4 degrees Celsius was found to last the longest due to low changes in rice taste, freshness, and color.[17]

In general households, it is best to store rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If the situation is not possible, it is recommended to store it in a cool place where there is no sunlight until October to April, when the average temperature is less than 15 degrees. If you have no choice but to store it at room temperature in summer, it is better to purchase small amounts of rice and consume it as soon as possible. On the contrary, if the temperature drops below zero in winter, the rice may freeze, increasing the volume of moisture and cracking, so be careful.

It is recommended to store it in an airtight container because moisture may drop, and the taste may drop if it comes into contact with external air. In particular, in summer when humidity and temperature are high, microorganisms such as pests, fungi, and bacteria can occur, so they should be stored in a cool and low-humidity place.

In Korean homes, kimchi is usually stored at an appropriate temperature using a kimchi refrigerator. The reason why kimchi refrigerators are in the spotlight is that when kimchi is finished, kimchi should be put in a jar and buried in the ground, but as the number of cities increases and the number of people living in apartments other than detached houses increases, housewives who cannot use the past storage method chose it as a substitute. In Korea, kimchi refrigerators are treated as necessities in the home, so you can see that the kitchen's refrigerator space is assumed and explained as two in a video introducing various new buildings.

Public Stockpiling System in Korea

The public storage system is the Korean government's system that stores a certain amount of food in case of food crises such as unstable grain supply and demand, natural disasters, and war.[18] It reserves 17-18% of annual consumption, and purchases from farmers at the national average rice price during the harvest season from October to December. In principle, the stockpile is supplied throughout the year through the military and government offices to circulate inventory, and if supply and demand are unstable, it is released to the market at a short sale price. Replacement of a certain quantity every year to prevent rapid quality degradation due to the lapse of the storage period and to ensure smooth inventory circulation

Status of purchasing public reserve rice by year[19] (Based on purchase price: 40 kg, Grade 1)
×201420152016201720182019202020212022
purchase quantity(t) 370,000360,000360,000340,000340,000340,000320,000340,000450,000(planning)
purchase price(₩) 57,74052,27048,28052,57067,05065,75075,14074,300

    See also

    References
    1. "FAOSTAT". Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved 18 October 2012.
    2. "South Korea: A Country Study:Major crops". Library of Congress, Washington D.C. June 1990. Retrieved March 21, 2009.
    3. "Rice off the menu: Asia's hunger for bread and pastries boosts wheat demand". Reuters. 2015-10-15. Retrieved 2015-10-30.
    4. May Choon, Chang (2015-11-28). "Seoul seeks ways to deal with huge rice stockpile". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 2016-01-24. Retrieved 2015-12-08.
    5. "국가통계포털(KOSIS)" [KOrean Statistical Information Service(KOSIS)]. kosis.kr. Retrieved 2022-11-01.
    6. Kim, Sunhee (2018-11-07). "Part 2_한국 대표 지역 브랜드쌀" [Part 2_Rice, Korea's leading regional brand]. The Buyer (in Korean). Retrieved 2022-10-06.
    7. "이천 쌀 문화 축제ㅣ이천 쌀 이야기" [Icheon Rice Culture FestivalㅣIcheon Rice Story]. www.ricefestival.or.kr. Retrieved 2022-10-06.
    8. "여주시 문화관광" [Culture and Tourism in Yeoju City]. www.yeoju.go.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 2022-10-06.
    9. Yoon, Youngsik. "디지털해남문화대전" [Haenam rice - Digital Haenam Culture Exhibition]. haenam.grandculture.net. Retrieved 2022-10-06.
    10. "KATI 농식품수출정보" [KATI Agricultural Products Export Information]. www.kati.net. Retrieved 2022-11-01.
    11. Kang, Jinkyu (2022-01-27). "'한국인은 밥심'은 옛말…쌀 소비량 30년새 반토막" [It is an old saying, "Koreans cheer up with rice."Rice consumption has halved in 30 years.]. Hankyung dot-com (in Korean). Retrieved 2022-10-06.
    12. "1인당 연간 쌀 소비량 감소폭 2년 연속 둔화" [Annual rice consumption per capita has slowed for the second consecutive year]. www.korea.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 2022-11-02.
    13. "쌀-한국민족문화대백과사전" [Rice - Encyclopedia of Korean National Culture]. encykorea.aks.ac.kr. Retrieved 2022-10-12.
    14. "전라남도 농업박물관, 쌀의 역사" [Jeollanam-do Agricultural Museum, History of Rice]. www.jam.go.kr. Retrieved 2022-09-29.
    15. Kim, seonyoung. ""쌀의 기원지는 중국 아닌 한국" 세계에서 인정" ["The origin of rice is Korea, not China," recognized in the world]. KBS News (in Korean). Retrieved 2022-09-29.
    16. Ok, Miyoung (2018-03-29). "쌀과 역사, 그리고 우리의 식탁 변천사" [Rice and History and Our Table Transformation] (in Korean). Retrieved 2022-10-12.
    17. "농촌진흥청[보도자료]쌀 냉장보관하면 더 오래 맛있게 먹을 수 있어요" [Rural Development Administration[Press release] If you refrigerate the rice, you can enjoy it for a longer time] (in Korean). Retrieved 2022-10-12.
    18. "KDI 경제정보센터-공공비축제도" [a public reserve system I KDI Economic Information Center].
    19. "녹림축산식품부" [Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs].

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