The Agricultural Supply Control Committee has been newly formed to manage the supply of key agricultural products ahead of the kimjang season. With the revised Agricultural Products Distribution and Price Stabilization Act (Agricultural Act) taking effect last month, the committee's role has expanded from an advisory body to a legal committee that reviews major agricultural supply policies.
On September 29, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs held the sixth meeting of the Agricultural Supply Control Committee at the aT Center in Yangjae-dong, Seoul, where the eighth committee was newly established. The committee serves as a deliberative body under the Agricultural Act, discussing agricultural supply policies with stakeholders, including producers and consumers.
The eighth committee consists of seven government representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Rural Development Administration, the National Data Agency, the Korea Meteorological Administration, and the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT), along with seven representatives from producer organizations, four from consumer groups, and three from academia. Park Jeong-hoon, head of the Food Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Agriculture, serves as the chair, while Professor Kim Kwan-soo from Seoul National University was elected as the private sector chair.
To enhance the committee's expertise and representation following the revised Agricultural Act, the Ministry of Agriculture has expanded the participation of producer organizations, adding representatives from the fruit sector to the previously vegetable-focused group.
During the meeting, certificates of appointment were awarded to the eighth committee members, and a private chair was elected through a vote among the members. The committee shared updates on the supply trends of key agricultural products and reviewed response strategies for each item.
In particular, with the kimjang season approaching, the committee focused on the growth conditions of key kimjang vegetables such as napa cabbage and radishes. The Ministry of Agriculture plans to strengthen growth monitoring and proactively support agricultural materials and pest control measures to ensure stable supply.
Park Jeong-hoon stated, "With the revision of the Agricultural Act, the role of the Agricultural Supply Control Committee has been strengthened. We will operate the committee to ensure that diverse opinions from producers, consumers, and the distribution industry are balanced and reflected. We will take all necessary measures to ensure there are no disruptions in the supply of key agricultural products for the upcoming kimjang season."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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