The number of farm households increased, but they have been reorganized around small-scale farmers

According to the finalized results of the 2025 Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Census announced by the National Data Agency on the 29th, last year's average cultivated land area per farm fell below 1 hectare to 0.87 ha. This is the smallest level in 65 years since 1960. This decline is interpreted as the result of the rapid aging of farming and fishing villages, as well as the increase in smallscale farming households due to people returning to farming and rural areas and changes in farmland registration. The share of farms with less than 0.5 ha of cultivated land also expanded to 61.8%. The total number of agriculture, forestry, and fishing households rose from the previous year to 1.276 million, and the population also increased to 2.575 million. However, the share of the elderly population aged 65 and older reached 51%, surpassing half for the first time, indicating that aging in farming and fishing villages has intensified.