So far in the current 2024-25 season, Chile has sent over 17,000 tons of fresh fruit to the Korean market, which is 56.90% more than during the previous campaign. According to information reported by Frutas de Chile on its website, its general manager, Miguel Canala-Echeverría, stated: “As of January, Korea ranks as the second destination in Asia for our fruits and ninth globally. It is an interesting market not only because of the number of potential consumers, which exceeds 51 million, but also because they have a per capita fruit consumption of 55 kilograms. Moreover, nearly 100% of the Korean population consumes fruits and vegetables daily, with their favorite fruits being apples, strawberries, citrus fruits, cherries, grapes, and kiwis, which presents a great opportunity for us to supply this market in the off-season.”
Canala-Echeverría added that today Chile sends table grapes, lemons, blueberries, cherries, avocados, oranges, and kiwis to the Korean market, “which is why we are looking to expand our offer in this country, prioritizing fresh plums. Therefore, we have met with the SAG, along with the APQA authorities in Korea, which is the country’s animal and plant quarantine agency, to advance this opening, as well as in transit cold treatment and electronic certification,” he detailed.
In this context, Felipe Umaña, the new agricultural and commercial attaché at the Chilean Embassy in South Korea, indicated that “the meeting I had with Frutas de Chile was very positive, as before my departure to Korea, I am meeting with various guilds to gain a deeper understanding of the areas they want to advance in and where we can support for the better development of exports.”
The meeting took place at the Frutas de Chile offices, where the new attaché was received by the general manager; the secretary-general of the entity, Rodrigo Gallardo; the Regulatory Affairs-Market Access USA manager and Editor of the Phytosanitary Agenda of Frutas de Chile (formerly Pesticides), Jimena López, and the Asia, Europe, and LATAM Market Access Coordinator, Paulina Escudero.
Korea: A Demanding Market but High Fruit Consumption
South Korea is the 12th largest economy in the world by GDP volume and ranks 29th in terms of population size. It is an interesting destination for Chilean fresh fruits because, despite the fact that fruit consumption in South Korea has decreased by almost 20% over the past 15 years due to supply shortages and rising prices, it remains a significant consumer of these products compared to other countries worldwide. Additionally, by producing off-season, Chilean fruits do not compete with local ones but rather complement them, especially concerning temperate climate fruits.
Another characteristic of South Korea is the composition of its population, as 70% of it is under 40 years old, with many studying abroad and adopting more Western fashions and consumption habits. Within Asia, Korea is one of the most demanding consumers in terms of quality.
