In an effort to control the overproduction of rice, the South Korean government has announced a significant reduction in rice cultivation for the year, cutting the area by about 38,000 hectares to a total of 640,000 hectares. This decision forms part of the government's broader strategy, detailed in the '2026 grain supply plan,' aimed at stabilizing rice supplies through a new system that introduces 'supply control rice,' which can be converted to table rice in times of poor harvests. Despite the decrease in cultivation area, the overall rate of reduction remains lower than the decline in consumption, leading to a surplus in production compared to demand.

The new 'supply control rice' initiative, which involves allocating around one-quarter of the total rice cultivation area to rice that can only be processed under normal circumstances but can be switched to table rice during emergencies, is expected to provide a proactive solution to balance supply and demand. Historically, the government's approach has involved government buyouts of excess production as a reactive measure, but this system intends to mitigate price fluctuations more effectively before they occur. This shift comes at a strategic juncture, as recent data shows rising rice prices ahead of the upcoming Lunar New Year celebrations, highlighting the urgency for the government to implement these reforms.

Park Jong-hun, the director of the Ministry of Agriculture's Food Policy Office, emphasized the collaborative effort slated for this year between public and private sectors in developing supply plans. He noted that this systematic supply policy is being reinforced under revised grain management laws established last August, ensuring the government must now set annual area targets for non-paddy crops to maintain a proper balance in rice supply, particularly given concerns about overproduction in key crops like soybeans as well.