Year's first rice harvested

The year`s first rice was harvested on March 10th in Yoju, Kyonggi-do.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries announced that Hong Ki-wan, 48,

cropped 240 kilograms of rice at his greenhouse of 254 pyong (838 square

meters) in Uman-ri, Yoju-up, to become the first farmer who harvested rice this

year.

Hong succeeded in harvesting rice in three months after he planted

Japanese species of "Kihara`` on April 4, according to the ministry.

The first rice planting of the season took place on March 9 in Hobop,

Kyonggi-do, an excessive fertilizing delayed however the harvest, the ministry said.