Cutting farm costs, improving soil health…Expanding organic fertilizer support; targeted inspections of 63 suppliers for raw material and quality violations
Gyeongnam Province will launch its 2026 organic fertilizer support program to lower farm operating costs and improve soil health, and it will conduct inspections to prevent the distribution of substandard fertilizers.
The province plans to supply a total of 410,000 metric tons of organic fertilizer to farms this year. The allocation includes three types of organic fertilizers—mixed oil cake, mixed organic fertilizer, and organic composite fertilizer—as well as two types of matured organic fertilizers: livestock manure compost and general compost.
The program is an eco-friendly agricultural policy aimed at building a sustainable farming foundation by reducing dependence on mineral fertilizers and expanding organic fertilizer use to replace chemical fertilizers, amid ongoing raw material supply and price instability stemming from the prolonged Middle East conflict.
To ensure farmers receive safe, high-quality fertilizer, the province will carry out distribution inspections of 63 organic fertilizer suppliers across the region. The inspections began on the 1st and will continue for three weeks through the 21st.
Inspectors will focus on the illegal use of raw materials, adequacy of production and distribution record-keeping, condition of production facilities, compliance with packaging label requirements, and whether products meet quality test standards.
The province, municipal governments, and the National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service will form joint inspection teams to check suppliers in 15 cities and counties, including Changwon. If violations are found, authorities will notify relevant agencies so appropriate administrative measures can be taken under the Fertilizer Control Act.
Hong Young-seok, director of the province’s Smart Agriculture Division, said, “We will ensure organic fertilizers are delivered to farms on time and will continue to strengthen quality control of suppliers.”
The province expects the supply program and distribution crackdown to prevent the circulation of substandard fertilizers and to establish a stable supply of quality fertilizer for farms.
Based on inspection results, officials plan to improve management systems across the entire production and distribution chain and to intensify farmer education and outreach to promote broader adoption of organic fertilizers and eco-friendly farming practices.
Gyeongnam — Reporter Jeong Do-jeong sos6831@viva100.com
