2024-07-11 16:32:15
Goyang Special City (Mayor Lee Dong-hwan) is reinforcing the competitiveness of the sustainable flower industry by newly establishing a flower production and distribution base and expanding the distribution of smart farms. In addition, it is being reborn as a wellness city that creates happy and healthy lives by providing safe meals through expanding local food sales channels, expanding pet spaces, and activating healing agriculture in conjunction with medical institutions.
Goyang Special City Mayor Lee Dong-hwan said, “Goyang City is a representative flower city that hosts the largest flower exhibition in Korea and a mecca for local food.” He added, “We will expand the flower industry and local food infrastructure to establish a sustainable production base, and spread a mature pet culture and the healing function of agriculture to create a wellness city where nature, animals, and people live in harmony.”
Modernization of flower distribution and production facilities… Smart farms to be expanded to 25ha
Goyang City is strengthening its position as a leading city in the flower industry by modernizing its flower distribution and production facilities and expanding the spread of smart farms to build a sustainable agricultural production base.
Last October, the Capital Area Flower Distribution Center opened in Wondang-dong, the largest flower distribution facility in the country, capable of handling everything from flower collection to auctions, wholesale and retail sales. It was built with an investment of 32 billion won, with a land area of 41,863㎡ and a building area of 2,771㎡, and features an electronic auction system for transparent transactions.
Since its opening, the Capital Area Flower Distribution Center has been increasing its sales performance by attracting shipments from major regions such as Seoul, Incheon, and Uijeongbu, and recording sales of 10 billion won in the first half of the year. The Goyang Flower Industry Special Zone (Won-dang, Ju-gyo Flower Complex), which recorded sales of 11 billion won last year, is located nearby, so synergy effects are expected.
The city is working to reduce distribution costs and increase income for flower farmers by procuring and using more than 90% of the flowers produced in Goyang City for the 2024 Goyang International Flower Expo held in May. This year, the Goyang International Flower Expo attracted a total of 680,000 visitors and 260 organizations from 25 countries, achieving KRW 600 million in flower sales and 210 flower business consultations, establishing itself as a venue for revitalizing the local economy and exchanging flowers.
In particular, at this flower expo, seven new rose varieties, including Hestia and Hollandia, developed by Goyang City, attracted attention. Goyang City, the largest rose producing region in Korea, has developed and distributed 34 varieties to date through continuous rose breeding research. This year, the city plans to promote the industrialization of domestic and foreign trade licenses for the varieties developed, thereby reducing the management costs of flower farms.
The city is also working on the spread of smart farms and the modernization of production facilities. From last year to this year, it has supported the modernization of horticultural facilities, materials and equipment, complex environmental control systems, and energy-saving facilities for 90 farms with 25 hectares. It also plans to build a container-type ICT & IoT convergence control system in four flower nurseries to create a high-quality production environment.
Local food sales channels expanded to 19 locations in the metropolitan area… Kawaji rice and Ilsan radish also get a makeover
Goyang City is continuously expanding local food infrastructure to build a sustainable food industry system. Local food is produced locally without long-distance transport, so it is fresh and safe, and can contribute to local economic activation and carbon neutrality.
Goyang City has 18 local food direct transaction stores, with sales of 95 billion won last year and 7.6 million customers, boasting the largest number of stores and the highest sales in the country. Last year, the city signed an agreement with Ilsan Nonghyup and E-Land Kim’s Club to open local food direct stores in 19 Kim’s Clubs in Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Incheon, expanding local food sales channels. As local food direct stores expanded, Janghang-dong opened the first local food-only logistics center in the country capable of sorting, cold storage, packaging, and delivery.
At the local food direct sales store, you can easily find Goyang City’s specialty agricultural products, Kawaji rice and Ilsan radish. Kawaji rice, popular for its chewy texture, will be available in small package products tailored to small households and health food demand, as well as eco-friendly rice and brown rice, at the online smart store ‘Goyang e-rice’ this month.
Ilsan radish, which is in season, was registered as Geographical Indication No. 115 in April, which certifies quality and reputation based on geographical characteristics. If you check the Geographical Indication (PGI) mark on the packaging, you can taste fresh and crunchy Ilsan radish without confusing it with radish from other regions.
Meanwhile, Goyang City Agricultural Technology Center is helping produce safe agricultural products by conducting pesticide residue tests, developing technologies to reduce odor in livestock farms by recycling coffee grounds and composting manure, and disseminating natural enemy-use control technologies.
Pet park with animal communication and healing center opens… Proof of the medical effects of healing agriculture
Goyang City is creating an animal-friendly city by creating spaces for citizens and their pets. In particular, the Ilsanseo-gu Pet Park, which opened in May, is open year-round with an animal communication and healing center, a pet dog playground, and agility on 16,530㎡. The Deoksu Park Pet Dog Playground, which opened in 2021, also operates work programs such as temperament evaluations by dividing dogs into large, medium, and small sizes.
In addition, in May, the city revised the ordinance related to urban parks to ease the standards for installing dog parks. Following the relaxation of the standards, the city plans to convert the dog parks built in Siksajungang Park and Jeongbalsan Park last year into general playgrounds and operate them as urban dog parks that all citizens can enjoy.
In addition, the city is expanding healing agriculture as a customized healing program for patients with cancer at the National Cancer Center, the disabled, etc. The results of the healing program conducted with Heavenly Hospital in 2022 won the grand prize at the ‘Human Plant Environment Society Spring Academic Conference’ last year, proving the medical effects of healing agriculture. This year, a business agreement has been signed with Konkuk University to conduct joint research on healing agriculture, and a plant hospital has been installed and a healing agriculture system has been established in the agricultural technology center, and a pilot operation is planned to begin in the second half of the year.
Economy Queen Reporter Kim Hong-mi / Photo Goyang City
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2024-07-11 16:32:15