Korea's rice production projected to fall 0.6% in 2026: data ministry
SEJONG — Korea's production of rice, a key staple in the country's diet, is estimated to decline 0.6 percent in 2026 due to a reduction in cultivation area, data showed Thursday. Rice output is expected to total 3.51 million tons, down from the previous year's 3.53 million tons, according to the Ministry of Data and Statistics. The projected decline comes as the area under rice cultivation fell…
Seoul — Korea's rice production is expected to decrease by 0.6% in 2026, according to data from the Ministry of Data and Statistics. The country's rice output is forecast to reach 3.51 million tons, a drop from last year's 3.53 million tons, as the cultivated area for rice shrinks by 1.1% to 670,000 hectares. The decrease in rice cultivation area has been a result of government initiatives aimed at encouraging farmers to diversify into other crops.
The decline is expected to impact the production in key regions, with South Jeolla Province and Gwangju projected to produce 738,000 tons, South Chungcheong Province 689,000 tons, and North Jeolla Province 533,000 tons. Despite rice being a traditional staple food for Koreans, its consumption has been on a steady decline, primarily due to shifting dietary habits and an increasing preference for alternative grains like wheat. The final figures are set to be released by the data ministry in November.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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