율무(薏苡)生産의 現況과 그 經濟性

An Economic and Present Status of Yulmu Production in Korea

Yulmu (Coix ma-yuen Roman), a Graminaceae grasses, with high potein content, has been cultivated for a long time in several countries of South-East Asia. This study is an attempt to analyze the present situation and economic value of its cultivation. 1. Yulmu is cultivated in all parts of Korea;usually in upland farms, partially irrigated paddies and in reclaimed upland. 2. Due to the availability as a food, brewing, Chinese medicine, and feed crops and also to meet the increasing requirement of a protein food resources, the study on Yulmu must be carried out continuously on its production and utilization, particularly on the ways to increase the yield and on any harmful effects when taken for a long Period. 3. The farming techniques of yulmu are not much advanced as compared to the time elapsed since its introduction to Korea. Therefore, it is expected to incrase the yield per unit of area when new cultivating techniques are developed and applied. 4. Yulmu is a recommendable good economic crops because under the present situation the rate of farm income (78.2%) and the rate of net-returns (60.3%) are high as compared to other crops. However, without an expansion of the market, it will have an unstable price and there will be big difference between the price and the money actually received by the farmer. There will also be big difference in the prices as the market vary. 5. It is important to maintain reasonable producer’s price to stimulate the yield and farm income increase because the elasticity of supply with respect to price of Yulmu is inelastic like other crops. 6. If Yulmu is not accepted as main food crops by various reasons and factors, it will be utilized indirectly as a new forage crops because the yield of fresh Yulmu as a forage craps was 11, 870kg per 10a, which was higher than that of fresh maize (8, 500 kg) and fresh grasses (5, 580kg); also because of the lower production cost (132 Won per Kg) as compared to the maize (883 Won) and grasses (1, 012 won).