Gyeonggi Province has initiated a first-of-its-kind program in South Korea aimed at supporting the distribution of 'valuable agricultural products,' a term that replaces the previously used 'imperfect agricultural products'. These are products that may have cosmetic issues due to agricultural disasters or do not meet grading criteria but are still deemed safe and of good quality for consumption. This initiative was officially implemented following a local ordinance aimed at boosting the market for these goods, which have become more prevalent due to increasingly adverse climatic conditions affecting agricultural output.

The program allocates financial support of 100 million won from provincial and city funds for businesses that will purchase these agricultural products. A survey of demand will be conducted by April, with the selection of businesses to begin in May or June. The strategy includes selling higher quality produce while directing lower quality items to specialized food distributors for processing or use in meal ingredients. Furthermore, to ensure consumer safety, a pre-distribution safety inspection of all products will take place, allowing farmers to convert potential waste into valuable economic resources and helping to mitigate food wastage and environmental impacts.

Amidst growing concerns regarding agricultural income decline and resource waste, this initiative aims to enhance farmers' profitability through expanded sales channels for these products. It is especially beneficial for younger farmers and those new to agriculture, providing a vital market for the surplus production of imperfect but still viable agricultural goods. While precise statistics on the market size for such products are unavailable, estimates suggest it could range from 2 to 5 trillion won. Beginning in May, the province will also conduct a comprehensive study of the production and distribution of these valuable agricultural products to frame a more robust support framework for the future.