Gyeongsangbuk-do to urgently purchase 300t of damaged apples

Gyeongsangbuk-do province has announced an emergency procurement plan to purchase approximately 300 tons of fallen apples following severe weather damage caused by hail and strong winds on October 31. The initiative, involving local governments in Andong and Yecheon and the Daegyeong Apple Horticulture Cooperative, aims to provide rapid financial stability to affected farmers before the fallen fruit decays and loses processing value.

The emergency program utilizes a ‘take action first, settle later’ approach, with a total budget of approximately 180 million KRW. Apples will be purchased at a rate of 12,000 KRW per 20kg box. Farmers can deliver fallen fruit to designated locations, such as the Andong Agricultural Products Processing Plant or the Yecheon Apple Distribution Center, and receive payment within one week.

To date, total crop damage in the Andong, Uiseong, and Yecheon areas has reached 128.8 hectares, with apples accounting for the largest portion at 91.3 hectares. Other affected crops include soybeans, peaches, plums, and peppers. Gyeongsangbuk-do plans to coordinate with the central government to provide disaster recovery funds, including pesticide costs and sapling replacement costs, once a full damage assessment is completed.