The Sancheong Community Center in South Gyeongsang Province has harvested approximately one ton of chrysanthemums this year, supplying tea production companies and selling some as its own chrysanthemum tea products. The center is also exploring ways to diversify its product offerings and expand experience programs based on its chrysanthemum cultivation project that began in 2012.
On October 20, the center announced the completion of its chrysanthemum harvest at a cultivation site spanning 9,752 square meters (about 2.95 acres) in Jeonggwang-dong, Sancheong.
The chrysanthemum cultivation initiative started in 2012 to provide job opportunities and work experience for low-income residents capable of working, helping them achieve economic independence. Participants grow and harvest the chrysanthemums themselves, marking the 14th year of the program.
Most of this year's harvest has been supplied to tea production companies in the Hamyang area of Gyeongnam. The remaining flowers have been processed into tea bags and are sold through the 'Saneuncheong Shopping Mall,' an online marketplace for local agricultural products, as well as at the Sancheong IC rest area’s local food sales outlet.
The center is considering expanding its product range beyond tea bags to include flower teas that showcase the shape and color of the chrysanthemums. However, specific release dates and new sales channels have yet to be determined.
Utilizing the chrysanthemum cultivation site for experience programs is also among the expansion plans. Having previously conducted experience events with harvested chrysanthemums, the center is planning programs that allow visitors to directly engage in the growth, harvesting, and processing of the flowers.
While product development and experience projects are under consideration, sales of its chrysanthemum tea have remained relatively stable each year. Securing stable sales channels and increasing revenue will be future challenges.
A representative from the Sancheong County Welfare Policy Division stated, "It would be great if sales were more active, but that is not the case yet. We are promoting Gyeongnam's self-sufficiency products as holiday gifts, but there are limitations in actively marketing individual products due to the number of items available for sale."
Currently, chrysanthemum cultivation and tea production are operated as a self-sufficiency project supported by the government, which covers participants' labor costs. To transition into an independent self-sufficiency enterprise, the project must generate enough revenue to cover operational costs, including labor, but it has not yet reached that level, according to Sancheong County.
As of now, there have been no reported cases of participants in the chrysanthemum tea project securing employment with private companies or starting their own self-sufficiency enterprises. For the self-sufficiency project to lead to genuine economic independence for participants, it is essential to ensure consistent production and revenue generation.
The center plans to expand its business scope from chrysanthemum cultivation to harvesting, processing, and sales, as well as experience programs, to enhance participants' agricultural skills and work capabilities.
Director Noh Jun-seok of the Sancheong Community Center stated, "I want to utilize the chrysanthemums we grow not only for tea production but also for various experience events so that more people can appreciate the value of chrysanthemums. We will continue to expand self-sufficiency projects utilizing local resources to enhance participants' self-reliance and establish a sustainable business foundation."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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