Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Song Mi-ryeong visited apple harvest sites to assess this year's crop yield and supply situation. To mitigate supply instability caused by abnormal weather, the ministry plans to enhance growth management until the harvest period and strengthen the production base.
On October 14, Minister Song visited apple farms in Hamyang, South Gyeongsang Province, where she examined the yield of major varieties such as Hongro and Fuji, and listened to the concerns of farmers and stakeholders. This visit was organized to confirm the quality and supply situation of apples as the harvest season begins and to encourage the hard work of farmers.
Participating in the harvest, Minister Song stated, “Thanks to the dedicated efforts of farmers, we are able to harvest high-quality apples despite the challenging conditions of abnormal low temperatures in spring and high temperatures and drought in summer.”
She also reviewed the activities of the 'Apple Stable Production Promotion Team,' which has been operational since this year, and urged local governments, agricultural cooperatives, and the Rural Development Administration to focus on growth guidance to prevent damage from abnormal weather until the final harvest.
The promotion team, composed of local governments in major apple-producing areas, the Rural Development Administration, and agricultural cooperatives, has been regularly monitoring growth conditions and providing on-site technical guidance since April.
Minister Song remarked, “Although there has been supply instability in apples in recent years due to climate change, this year, thanks to proactive efforts by field officials aiming for a 10% increase in fruit set, we have been able to supply this representative fruit of the nation stably.”
She emphasized, “We will continue to strengthen the foundation for producing fruit safely despite changes in internal and external conditions, including abnormal weather, to enhance the competitiveness of our fruit industry.”
* This article has been translated by AI.
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