Jindo County in South Jeolla Province is working to secure cultivation technology for Jicho (芝草), the key ingredient for the region's representative traditional liquor, Jindo Hongju. The initiative aims to reduce growth instability caused by high summer temperatures while systematically managing cultivation areas and production bases to support both the traditional liquor industry and farmers' incomes.
On October 22, Jindo County officials visited Jicho cultivation sites as part of a customized future strategy project to assess growth conditions and listen to the concerns of participating farmers.
During the visit, County Mayor Lee Jae-gak examined the cultivation status of first- and second-year participating farms, discussing management methods to mitigate summer heat damage and ways to improve cultivation technology.
Jicho, also known as Jichi, is a perennial herb that contains red pigment in its roots. Historically, it has been used for natural dyeing and medicinal purposes, and it is a crucial ingredient for imparting the distinctive red color to Jindo Hongju.
Jindo Hongju is a traditional liquor made by distilling rice and nuruk, then using Jicho roots to achieve its unique red hue. The stable production of Jicho is closely linked to the supply and quality of ingredients for Jindo Hongju.
However, Jicho's growth can vary depending on the cultivation environment, making the establishment of stable production technology essential. Particularly, cultivation facilities and growth management techniques that can withstand high summer temperatures are key factors influencing productivity.
To address this, Jindo County has been promoting semi-open greenhouse and container cultivation technologies to nine farms over the past two years.
Semi-open greenhouses allow for airflow to manage temperature and environmental conditions inside the cultivation facilities, while container cultivation uses specialized containers to manage root growth and cultivation environments.
The county plans to investigate the growth conditions of each farm and accumulate results from field trials to develop cultivation techniques suitable for the region's climate and soil conditions.
During the recent site inspection, officials shared issues and successful cultivation cases that emerged during last summer's heatwave, focusing on discussions to enhance future production stability.
If the production volume and quality of Jicho can be secured, it is expected to strengthen the supply base for the ingredients needed for Jindo Hongju while also developing into a new income crop for farmers.
The county aims to expand the participation of young farmers alongside the dissemination of cultivation technology to establish a sustainable production base for regional specialty crops.
Mayor Lee Jae-gak stated, "Jicho is an important regional specialty crop that carries on the tradition and value of Jindo Hongju. We will actively reflect farmers' voices and strive to establish a stable production base through continuous technical support and improvements in cultivation environments, ultimately enhancing farmers' incomes."
For this pilot project to succeed, it will be necessary to verify not only growth stability during high temperatures but also economic factors such as yield, ingredient quality, and cultivation costs.
Meanwhile, Jindo Hongju is a representative traditional liquor from the Jindo region, characterized by its red hue derived from Jicho roots. Jindo County is conducting trials on facility and container cultivation technologies to develop Jicho as a regional specialty crop and plans to establish a stable ingredient production system based on the growth survey results from each farm.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.