Direct-sales market co-hosted with NH Agri Business Holdings' Gangwon branch
Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, the Gangwon Provincial Assembly and NH Agri Business Holdings' Gangwon branch have teamed up to bring locally grown food from the region to chuseok tables across the country.
A chuseok direct-sales market opened Thursday at the fountain plaza of the provincial government building, drawing a lively crowd.
The event was jointly organized by the province and NH Agri Business Holdings' Gangwon branch to boost consumption of Gangwon agricultural and specialty products ahead of the holiday. More than 50 local food producers and organizations from Chuncheon, Wonju, Hongcheon, Hoengseong, Yanggu, Goseong and other areas took part.
Participating producers included member farms of the Dong-Chuncheon Agricultural Cooperative's local food distribution association, Gangwon flower farms, Manna Grapes, Wonju Mushroom Agricultural Corporation, Hongcheon Dal's Farm, Hoengseong Yedawon, Yanggu Kkulsarang and Goseong Jinburyeong Tongil Deokjang. Producer organizations included NH Agri Business Holdings' Gangwon branch, Dong-Chuncheon Agricultural Cooperative and Gangwon Hanwoo Cooperative Joint Corporation.
Items on sale included new-harvest rice, fruit, wild greens, mushrooms and other ritual food offerings, as well as fresh vegetables, processed agricultural products and Gangwon hanwoo beef — all priced 15 to 30 percent below regular market rates.
Governor Woo Sang-ho, Provincial Assembly Speaker Park Gil-seon, Agriculture and Fisheries Committee Chairman Kang Jeong-ho, NH Agri Business Holdings Gangwon branch head Kim Byeong-yong and Chuncheon branch head Jeon Seong-yeol were among the officials who attended, encouraging participating farms and organizations while promoting Gangwon's agricultural products to provincial government employees and residents.
NH Agri Business Holdings' Gangwon branch operated promotional booths showcasing representative agricultural products from each county and city, and ran events including tiered local food giveaways based on purchase amounts and a lucky roulette draw to raise awareness of local food's value.
Jeon Jae-seop, director of the Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province's agricultural policy bureau, said local food — where produce grown in a region is also consumed there — is key to raising the value of Korean agriculture. "We will continue to pay close attention and provide ongoing support to direct-sales markets and local food initiatives that bring producers and consumers together," he said.
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