South Korea’s agro-fishery product export topped $10 billion last year through upgraded farming technology and growing popularity of Korean produces.

The country’s agriculture and livestock products exports jumped 12.9 percent to $8.54 billion in 2021 from a year-ago period, showed government data on Wednesday. Fishery products exports surged 22.4 percent on year to $2.82 billion. The combined exports totaled at $11.36 billion, exceeding the $10 billion milestone for the first time ever.

Exports of ramyeon (instant noodles) climbed 11.8 percent to $674.6 million, drinks 18.2 percent to $485.3 million, and sauces 14.7 percent to $365.7 million.

Korean fruits were also popular, especially in Hong Kong and Singapore. The country shipped out $64.5 million worth of strawberries and $38.7 million worth of grapes, which are up 20 percent and 24.1 percent, respectively, on year.

Korean fruits have successfully made an inroad to hotel and other premium sales channels after shipping them fresh via government-sponsored air transportation, said Kim Jae-hyun, export team head at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. Grapes even sold at $100 per cluster in China after offering high-quality product, added Kim.

Among fishery products, gim (dried seaweed) and tuna were popular. Gim exports jumped 15.4 percent on year to $592.8 million and tuna 9.7 percent to 579.2 million. Exports of eomuk (processed seafood product) rose 9.7 percent to $49.5 million and oyster 21 percent to $80.1 million.

Gim exports have been setting new records every year for over 10 years, and orders are coming from more countries, said Kim Joon-seok, a Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries official.

By Song Min-keun, Park Dong-hwan and Cho Jeehyun

[ⓒ Pulse by Maeil Business Newspaper & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]