Nine eligible crops — including rice flour, corn and Job's tears — with payments ranging from 1.5 million to 5.5 million won (approximately $1,810–$6,640) per hectare
South Jeolla Province has extended the application period for its 2026 summer strategic crop direct payments by one month, to June 30.
The strategic crop direct payment program compensates farmers and agricultural corporations who grow strategic crops — such as supply-adjustment rice and corn — on paddy fields instead of table rice, with the aim of stabilizing the table rice supply and improving the country's food self-sufficiency rate.
Nine summer crops are eligible: rice flour, forage crops, legumes (excluding white soybeans and bean-sprout soybeans), corn, sesame, supply-adjustment rice, alfalfa, sorghum and Job's tears. However, winter crops and the two excluded legume varieties — white soybeans and bean-sprout soybeans — closed for applications as originally scheduled on May 29.
Payment rates by summer crop are 5.5 million won per hectare for summer forage crops, 5 million won for supply-adjustment rice, 2.5 million won for alfalfa and Job's tears, 2.4 million won for sorghum, 2 million won for legumes and rice flour, and 1.5 million won for corn and sesame.
Starting this year, the program is expected to reach more farmers after the non-farm income threshold was relaxed. An amendment to the Farmland and Rural Public Interest Direct Payment Act passed the National Assembly plenary session in April, raising the disqualifying non-farm comprehensive income ceiling from 37 million won to 43 million won.
The minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs sets the specific applicable amount every five years based on household income statistics and other factors; the figure for this year will be confirmed at a later date.
Farmers practicing double-cropping — growing wheat or forage crops in winter and rice flour, legumes or forage crops in summer — must apply for the summer strategic crop direct payment by June 30 to qualify for an incentive of 1 million won per hectare.
Applicants must maintain their eligibility, including registered farm management information, until final beneficiary status is confirmed. The eligibility verification reference dates are May 31 for winter crops and Sept. 30 for summer crops.
Farmers wishing to apply may visit the administrative welfare center in the eup, myeon or dong where their farmland is located, or apply online at nongupez.go.kr.
Jeong Won-jin, head of the South Jeolla Province food and horticulture division, said maintaining appropriate table rice production and promoting the cultivation of other crops on paddy fields are essential to stabilizing rice prices. "We ask as many farmers as possible to actively participate in growing strategic crops so we can stabilize the rice supply and help boost farm household incomes," he said.
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