Korea's rice production falls for 5th year in 2026 amid changing diets
Korea's rice output declined for the fifth consecutive year in 2026 amid changing dietary habits, data showed Friday, with the cultivation area also reaching a new low. Rice production decreased 0.9 percent year-on-year to 3.5 million tons this year, according to data compiled by the Ministry of Data and Statistics. It marked the fourth-lowest level since the government began compiling the data…
Korea's rice production has experienced a fifth consecutive year of decline in 2026, driven by shifting dietary habits, according to data released on Friday. The country's cultivated rice area reached a record low, with the total cultivated land dropping by 1.1 percent year-on-year to 670,000 hectares, the lowest since record-keeping began in 1965.
This year, rice production dropped 0.9 percent compared to the previous year, reaching a total of 3.5 million tons. Despite this decrease, the production per hectare increased slightly, up 0.2 percent year-on-year to 524 kilograms. Rice has long been a staple in Korean cuisine, but consumption has been steadily decreasing over the past few decades as dietary preferences evolve.
The government has been working to balance rice output with farmer incentives to grow alternative crops. In terms of regional production, South Jeolla Province and Gwangju together accounted for 736,000 tons of rice, followed by South Chungcheong Province with 681,000 tons.
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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