South Korea's Agricultural And Sideline Products Exports Hit A Record High in The First Half Of The Year

Yonhap News Agency, Seoul, July 5. South Korea's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Livestock and Food and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said on the 5th that South Korea's exports of agricultural and sideline products in the first half of the year were US$6.21 billion, a year-on-year increase of 14.6%. Exports of agricultural products and aquatic products reached US$4.5 billion and US$1.71 billion respectively, both hitting record highs over the same period.

Under unfavorable external conditions such as the protracted conflict between Russia and Ukraine and the continuous bottleneck of the global supply chain, Korean food is still popular overseas. In terms of categories, the export of instant noodles was US$383.7 million, the export of biscuits was US$314.6 million, the export of beverages was US$277.9 million, and the export of processed rice was US$90.4 million.

In countries such as Vietnam, a big instant noodle consumer, Korean instant noodles with a wide variety (and delicious taste) are very popular, and their availability in large supermarkets, convenience stores, and online shopping malls is also a favorable factor for exports. Outdoor activities in Southeast Asian countries have increased, and health drinks such as Korean aloe vera drinks, fruit honey, and tea drinks have become popular. Thanks to the focus on Korean food culture, the demand for Korean instant rice, fried rice cakes, marcoli, etc. in the United States and other places has greatly increased.

The export of seaweed in aquatic products was 375.9 million US dollars, and the export of abalone was 29 million US dollars. The export of seaweed is expected to exceed US$700 million in the whole year, setting a record for a single aquatic product. The health benefits of abalone are widely recognized, contributing to the growth of exports to Japan and Vietnam.