육묘산업의 실태와 발전 방안

Abstract

육묘는 농작물 생산의 전초 단계로서 생산의 성패를 좌우할 만큼 중요한 원천산업으로 예전부터 모종을 기르는 일은 ‘절반농사’라고 할 정도로 육묘의 중요성이 강조되어 왔다. 더욱이 육묘는 발아, 접목‧활착, 생장조절, 병해충 관리 등 재배관련 모든 기술이 집대성되는 정밀산업이다. 특히, 육묘는 조기 수확 및 증수 효과는 물론, 경지 이용도 향상과 함께 종자 발아율 상승과 소요량 절감에 기여하고 있다.

최근에는 자가 육묘보다는 전문 육묘장에서 생산한 묘를 구입하여 작물을 재배하는 원예농가 비중이 높아짐에 따라 육묘장 면적이 크게 확대되고 있다. 그럼에도 불구하고 육묘산업 보호와 육성을 위한 법적‧제도적 장치는 미흡할 뿐만 아니라 기초적인 실태 파악도 이루어지지 않은 상황이다. 이에 따라 이 연구는 농업의 원천산업으로서 성장을 지속하고 있는 육묘산업의 동향과 실태 파악을 통해 육묘산업이 성장동력산업으로 정착할 수 있는 방안을 제시하기 위해 수행되었다.

Raising seedlings is the precondition of agricultural production, and it is so important that it is no exaggeration to say the success of agricultural production depends on it. The seedling industry is also the base industry of agricultural production since it can induce division of labor and specialization. As the number of farmers who use a seedling farm has been increasing in recent years, the size of land for raising seedlings was significantly expanded from 20 ha in 1997 to 159 ha in 2010, and it is anticipated that the size will increase further in the future. Accordingly, it is necessary to identify the industry trends, analyze the current state of the seedling industry, and present a strategy to develop the industry. In order to identify the state of seed supply at seedling farms, 17 seed companies, which are members of Korean Seed Association, were surveyed. As for the state of production and sale of seedlings, 70 seedling suppliers were surveyed. The results of a survey of 740 farmers were analyzed to identify the state of seedling usage, and 51 experts who are members of the seedling research club 'Plugseedling' were surveyed to identify the technology level of the seedling culture and make a priority list for policy support. To examine the management efficiency of seedling companies, the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) was used, and the Delphi method was used to examine the level of seedling technology. As for the method of drawing up the policy priority list, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used. In order to address the problems that were found in the examination of the current state of the seedling industry, an advanced system of raising seedlings has to be established to supply high-quality, superior seedlings and stabilize agricultural production. The detailed development strategies to achieve this goal are as follows: First, as the technology level of raising seedlings lags behind advanced countries in many aspects, individual effort by the seedling companies is required. Also, it is necessary to make a precise diagnose of the current technology level with the assistance of academic researchers and develop technologies suitable for the seedling environment of each seedling farm. The education and distribution of the seedling technologies should then be carried out through a system. Second, it is necessary to increase R&D investment for seed breeding companies to develop superior breeds and link it with active support policies of the government. Also, it is necessary to seek higher efficiency of seedling production by developing advanced seedling materials and automation technology. Third, it is important to improve the management efficiency of seedling companies through professional manpower, automation facilities, and energy-saving facilities and promote seedling export to secure the new demand created by increased urban agriculture. Fourth, creation of infrastructure for each phase of seedling production, as well as active government support, is essential for the seedling industry's development. Also, it will be necessary to establish a system that can solve seedling-related disputes and prepare systematic means, such as a seedling supplier registration system, to supply uniform seedlings and protect and foster the seedling industry.

Researchers: Ki-Hwan Park, Hyun-Tae Park and Hye-Sung Han E-mail address: kihwan@krei.re.kr