Regarding promotion of the use of unused biomass such as rice straw, the collection process has already been the subject of much research. When using unused biomass that is widely dispersed in the field, the method and the cost incurred for collection have become a bottleneck for the promotion of its use. In order to collect and use such biomass efficiently, it is indispensable to increase the scale of the collection process and improve the profitability. In South Korea, where the production structure of rice cultivation is very similar to that of Japan, there has been no academic research undertaken on rice straw. Therefore, the case of Japan will be very helpful in analyzing the behavior of rice straw collectors and distributors in South Korea. In order to clarify the actual conditions and functions of large-scale rice straw collectors and distributors in South Korea in recent years, the present research analyzed the socio-economic base and background of biomass collection and distribution, focusing on the case of a specific rice straw collector and distributor (Company H), which has been rapidly expanding its business. The area of rice paddy contracted with Company H has increased from 2009 to 2020, and will expand to a wide area of distribution both within, and the outside the province. At the same time, Company H has been pursuing efficiency in sales by centering on the livestock cooperatives that are large-scale purchasers and who make round bale silage with rice straw. It has been building its existence base via the intensification of working farmland and improvement in collection efficiency.
