Rice Import Quota to be Lowered by 0.1 %P to 7.9 Percent

Korea’s mandatory rice import volume in return for the extension of the rice tarification waiver is expected to decrease by about 0.1 percent from the original eight percent to around 7.9 percent of the country’s average annual rice consumption.

An official at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry said on December 26 that according to last week’s working-level negotiations between the Korean government delegation and their counterparts in the U.S. and other key rice-exporting countries, the rice import quota will likely be lowered a bit. He also added that the quota will stand at around 7.9 percent to eight percent, although it has yet to be decided.

Chang-Won Kim changkim@donga.com