رویان

بزرگترین مجله کشاورزی اینترنتی

رویان

بزرگترین مجله کشاورزی اینترنتی

Decreasing Rice Consumption

Decreasing Rice Consumption

Tomorrow is "Sollal," or Lunar New Year's Day, one of the two most festive traditional holidays of the nation along with "Chusok," Korea's "Thanksgiving," which falls on Aug. 15 on the lunar calendar.

When it comes to Sollal, "ttokkuk," a beef-broth soup with slices of white, round rice cake, comes first to mind together with "sebae," the ceremony of kneeling down and bowing politely to family elders and wishing them luck and good health in the new year in return for a gift of money.

On the eve of Sollal, housewives used to form a long queue in front of their village rice mills with their own rice they brought to make "karaettok," a roll of the rice cake for ttokkuk. But these days, most of them go to markets or stores to buy packed slices of the cake, just the amount they need, for convenience.

The traditional soup, made of the grain of Koreans' staple food, is still important for even today's children for eating a bowl of ttokuk means growing a year older, although it is not that popular of late with their increasing preference for Western fast food indulging in fatty hamburgers and pizza.

Rice had been a precious and rare thing before the country's modernization. In northern region of the peninsula, in particular, where rice farming was less popular than in the southern provinces due to the lack of paddies, boiled rice or "ssalbap" was a specialty for family celebrations.

About 30 years ago, the biggest wish of hungry children from poor families was without a doubt the desire to eat plain, boiled white rice and beef soup. During those times, not only could they not afford to buy rice but it was not abundant.

A "legendary" sad episode involving the foreign wife of a top national leader in the 1950s showcases the serious shortage of rice at that time: The lady heard that many people, especially in the farming villages, in early spring, were going hungry for they had no rice to eat. She asked, "Then, why don't they eat bread?"

Rice has been cultivated for more than 3,000 years on the peninsula. It is the staple grain of Koreans, which has shaped their culture, diet and economics. For Koreans, rice used to be more than just food. Many people even thought rice was life.

Following is the entry for William Rice found in the Portrait and Biographical Record of Winnebago and Boone Counties, Illinois. published in Chicago by Biographical Publishing company in 1892

WILLIAM RICE. In point of energy, enterprise and determination, the subject of this sketch is looked upon as one of the leading men of Rockford Township, Winnebago County. He is what may be properly termed a "hustler," in the broadest sense of the term, and is genial and generous, one who is a uniniversal favorite in both social and business circles. He is mostly interested in agricultural pursuits, and is the possessor of a large number of acres of land in this township. The original of this sketch had his birth in Solon, Cortland County, N. Y., on the 4th of July, 1827. His worthy father, who bore the name of William Rice, was born in New England, and there reared. He went to Cortland County, N.Y. when a young man, and there bought a tract of timber land, clearing a splendid farm from the wilderness. There were no railroads or canals built in New York State for several years after his advent there, and the people lived off the products of their own farms, the women spinning and carding and making homespun clothes for their families. The father of our subject lived on the home farm with his parents until the year 1850, when he removed to Pennsylvania. After a few years residence in the latter-named state he again came to Cortland County and resided with his son, our subject, until his death, which took place in 1863.

The beloved mother of our subject bore the maiden name of Theodosia Thornton; she was a native of New York State, and died on the home farm in Cortland County. She reared to man and woman's estate six children, named as follows: Almon, Jason, Phoebe, Joseph , Betsey and William. Our subject is the youngest of the children born to his parents, and was reared and educated in his native State and county, and resided under the parental roof until he was seventeen years of age. At that age, he started out for himself in life, and commenced by working on a farm for $7 a month, and later received $10 a month. In this way he earned and saved enough money to help him to get a good start. His father gave him sixty acres of land in the township of Cincinnatus, Cortland County, when he reached his majority, and on this place was an old log house with a frame addition, a small barn, two and one-third acres being improved. On this place our subject lived for only one year, when he traded with his father for the old homestead of one hundred and sixty acres, paying his father $2,500 besides. Here he lived until 1859, when he journey to the Prarie State, and stelled in West Point Township, Stephenson County, purchasing a tract of one hundred and sixty acres on which he made his home until 1868.

In the year mentioned above, William Rice, the subject of this life history, sold his land in Stephenson County and came to the city of Rockford, buying property in the same, and also a fine farm of one hundred and eighty-two acres adjoining the city. He has since then purchased other lands, and now owns a farm which comprises two hundred and thirty eight acres adjoining the city, which whas been his home for the past two years. On this place he is actively and prosperously engaged in tilling the soil, and raising some cattle, which are of the best grades, and he is a splindid example of what may be accomplished by a persistent, sagacious and economical man. He owns an acre of valuable land in the city, which is as yet vacant.

To the wife who has contributed her quota to his prosperity, presides with grace and true hospitality over his home, and makes his interest her own, Mr. Rice was united in marriage in 1848. Mrs. Rice was born born in the Empire State, a daughter of Andrew and Matilda (Fuller) Coleman.

Mrs. Rice was known in her maidenhood as Nancy Coleman, and has become the mother of the following children, viz: Vinton B., Tilla I., Hattie L., Kittie G., Opal A., Lena L. and Willie A.,(Starr A. who was the second child, died when seven years and seven months old.)

The life record of our subject is an honor to him and an example to the youth of the present generaton. He is gifted with a strong, clear mind, tenacity of purpose and far-seeing sagacity, which have enabled him to control his business affairs to the best advantage, so that he has become well-to-do. He is liberal in the use of his money, showing that he has not labored merely for himself. In his political views, he is a staunch Democrat. In their religious views they are liberal, and not connected with any church.

2 نوشته شده در شنبه شانزدهم مهر

It was only about a decade ago when the country started to worry about the increasing rice surpluses and the huge cost for storage.

Yet, rice is losing popularity nowadays with the sharp decrease in its consumption following the rapidly changing dietary lifestyle of people.

Koreans are eating less rice. Rice consumption has decreased by 36 percent over the past 13 years, according to the latest data from the National Statistical Office.

The long tradition of three meals a day, meaning three bowls of boiled rice, has been disappearing as an average Korean ate less then two bowls, or 227.9 grams, a day last year.

To be more precise, rice consumption per capita last year was 83.2 kilograms, down 3.8 kilograms, or 4.4 percent, compared to 87 kilograms in 2002.

In contrast, the consumption of alternative foods like bread, noodles and "ramyon" (instant noodles) has sharply increased.

Corresponding to the declining consumption of rice, the size of farmland is also decreasing year by year as a result of industrialization, expanding urban areas and shrinking profitability of rice cultivation.

This means a sharp rise in the import of other cereals such as wheat and soybeans, and not before long, Korea may become a major importer of rice.

In other Asian countries like Japan and Taiwan where rice is also the staple food, its consumption has dwindled in an apparent change of dietary patterns with the flood of Western fast food.

But it is interesting that rice consumption in the United States has increased over the past 10 years, thanks to the fad of Asian-style cooked rice and of rice snacks, though. According to the Korea Rural Economic Institute, Americans' rice consumption per capita rose from 11.9 kilograms in 1990 to 13.4 kilograms in 2003.

Rice farming still remains important politically and socially, even if its contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP) is less than 10 percent, as seen in the yearly routine of the National Assembly to set the government's purchase price of the year's rice crops from farmers.

The shrinking consumption of rice has directly effected the reduction of farmers' incomes and farming lands as well.

The United Nations has designated 2004 as the "International Year of Rice" to promote the production of and access to rice, a vital food crop, which feeds more than half the world's population while providing the livelihood for millions.

It is an unprecedented step in the history of the global organization in devoting a year to a commodity, namely rice.

A total of 44 countries, including the Philippines and most Asian nations, signed the U.N. declaration for the special year. The Republic of Korea did not join, but the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) did.

It is bizarre that such a country like South Korea where rice has been central to life traditionally did not join the significant international movement.

Rice is now cultivated in 113 countries and on all the continents except Antarctica, according to the U.N.

Although domestic consumption of the staple grain has been in decline in recent years, rice enters Koreans' lives as a daily food and the very symbol of our culinary culture.

On the occasion of the festive Sollal holidays, foreigners who have not yet tasted ttokuk, the season's trademark cuisine is recommended most.

Numerous campaigns have been launched by the government and various civic groups. It is regrettable, however, there is no move for a social drive to encourage people to eat more rice and thus to help foster the main agricultural industry of the nation and a symbol of our long heritage.