[Editorial] A Way to Increase Rice Consumption

Although the administration says that they had no choice but to implement a policy that gives up stimulating increased rice production, this must not lead to decrease in farmers` income or shrinking rice-field farming.

This year`s production is predicted to be around 10, 000, 000 sacks of proper stock, which is far beyond the 6, 000, 000 recommended by the UN FAO. It is a bit too late to switch to a policy that encourages lower quality just when rice production is overabundant and additional rice markets are about to open.

The administration cannot simply cling to a negative policy that reduces production but must address the demand side as well by promoting increased rice consumption. The main reason for overproduction of rice is the progressive Westernization of eating habits of teens and young people.

Military bases and schools have used poor quality rice that has been stored over two years. Such poor quality rice should be used for processed foods and high quality rice supplied to the military and schools. Feeding poor quality rice to teenagers and young people will only make them more averse to rice.

Because students like hamburgers and pizza better than rice and because rice prices are high, school food services are avoiding it. Rice consumption in schools should be stimulated, even if that means government backing. The U.S. requires by law that only domestic produce and foods processed from domestic produce can be served in schools.

If rice consumption decreases, vegetables, radish, scallions, garlic, and peppers will be consumed less as well, which in turn will lead to lower income for farmers. If large quantities of cheap imported rice continue to enter the market, and if rice consumption goes on decreasing, the basis of rice farming could collapse.

Although the number of farmers has decreased, 4, 500, 000 farmers still make up 9 percent of the total population. These farmers quietly guard the farms, preserve the environment of the country`s lands, and maintain the foundations of food production. The competitive price of Korean rice may have declined, but we must not give up on rice farming. Like the European system of protecting farmers and their income, we must implement a similar system of protection for farmers within the boundaries of the WTO guidelines.

Considering that the cost of maintaining rice stock is over 1000 million won, we have to find an effective means of handling poor quality rice stored over two years.

If we do not want increased rice production policy to end at the level of mere numbers, we have to discard the paternalism that purchases poor quality products. We will have to induce high quality rice production by deepening the gradations of price according to variety and quality.