Jeonnam Province Launches Nationwide Onion Consumption Promotion Campaign to Stabilize Supply

【Financial News Muan=Hwang Taejong Reporter】Jeonnam Province announced on the 29th that it will actively promote a nationwide onion consumption promotion campaign to recover the plummeting wholesale price of onions due to the increased production of 2025 onions.
  According to the observation information from the Korea Rural Economic Institute, the production of mid-late onions is expected to increase by 34,000 tons compared to the previous year. Following the harvest of early onions in April, the optimal environment suitable for onion growth has been created ahead of the mid-late onion harvest season in June, resulting in a 7.5% increase in onion yield compared to the previous year.
 In response, Jeonnam Province proposed to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, which oversees onion supply and demand, to prepare proactive measures for onion supply stability, and the government announced supply stability measures on the 26th, including △government purchase and storage of 30,000 tons △suppression of low-grade onion shipments of 4,000 tons △delayed shipment of mid-season onions for a certain period of 3,000 tons.
 Jeonnam Province also appealed to central ministries, 16 public institutions in innovation cities, 17 metropolitan governments, the Korea Foodservice Industry Association, and other organizations to expand the purchase of domestic onions, provide fresh onions and pickled onions in the cafeterias of each institution, and participate in campaigns such as eating one more bag of onions.
 Additionally, to promote nationwide onion consumption, they are conducting onion discount events in cooperation with the government. As part of the government's food price stabilization project, they are holding up to 40% discount events at large supermarkets nationwide such as E-Mart and Homeplus until June 4, and up to 30% discount events at Jeonnam Province's online shopping mall 'Namdo Marketplace' and Muan County's online shopping mall 'Matdeul Mall' until May 31.
 Park Hyunsik, Director of the Agriculture, Livestock and Food Bureau of Jeonnam Province, said, "Although the yield of onions is expected to increase due to appropriate rainfall and temperature during the onion growth period, and a bumper crop of high-quality onions is expected, the price drop is expected to cause difficulties for onion-producing farmers," adding, "We sympathize with the difficulties of onion-producing farmers due to the price drop and economic recession. We will actively respond to expect price stabilization through the government's supply stability project along with discovering large consumption channels and supporting discounts."
hwangtae@fnnews.com Hwang Taejong Reporter