S. Korea To Help Farmers, Livestock Breeders Hit By Heat Wave

The South Korean government said Thursday it will provide financial support and disaster relief for local farmers and livestock breeders as an unprecedented heat wave has taken a toll on their crops and animals

SEOUL,(UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Aug, 2018 ) :The South Korean government said Thursday it will provide financial support and disaster relief for local farmers and livestock breeders as an unprecedented heat wave has taken a toll on their crops and animals.

The latest measure comes as about 5.72 million livestock, including chicken and ducks, have been culled, and crops grown on 2,909 hectares of land have been affected by the very high temperatures that have dragged on for nearly a month, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

The government will allocate 17.1 billion won (US$151.

5 million) to support emergency water supply, pesticides and cooling equipment for livestock facilities. It will also provide 6 billion won in insurance payments for 581 farms affected by the long drought.

The ministry said it will also seek measures to stabilize prices of agricultural products by managing supplies of staple food items, including white cabbage and radish.

According to the Korean Consumer Agency, prices of 21 vegetables jumped 15.1 percent as of Aug. 10 compared with a week earlier, as the heat weather conditions dried up crops and caused diseases in leafy vegetables.