Farmers in S. Korea see income slide 4 pct in 2008

SEOUL, April 14 (Yonhap) -- The average income of South Korean farming households
declined more than 4 percent in 2008, mainly due to increased costs for
fertilizer and other necessities for growing crops, a government report showed
Tuesday.
According to the report by the National Statistical Office (NSO), the average
income of farming households amounted to 30.52 million won (US$23,000) last year,
down 4.5 percent from a year earlier.
The decline was attributed to an increase in growing costs including a hike in
fertilizer prices. Expenditures, however, fell 3.4 percent to 27.1 million won as
farmers tightened spending on education and necessities amid a protracted
economic downturn.
The report said assets of farming households amounted to an average of 341.2
million won at the end of last year, up 2.8 percent from a year earlier. Debts
grew 7.8 percent to 25.79 million won.
Average fishing household income, meanwhile, inched up 1.7 percent to 31.18
million won, according to the report.
South Korea has a total of 1.21 million farming households, while the number of
fishing households stood at 71,000 at the end of last year, according to the NSO.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
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