This year, South Korea has witnessed significant fluctuations in apple prices, prompting officials to devise long-term strategies to ensure stable fruit harvests. The Korea Rural Economic Institute highlighted a decline in apple cultivation areas, from 33,789 hectares last year to 33,666 hectares this year, amidst concerns over climate change and a dwindling, aging farming population. Despite the lesser severity of this decrease compared to other fruits, the sharp price increases in apples have made them a focal point for government intervention.
Statistics Korea reported an 88.2 percent on-year increase in retail apple prices in March; the highest spike since 1980. Experts attribute this to adverse weather conditions, crop diseases, and production downturns. In response, the South Korean government, led by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, aims to maintain the apple cultivation area at approximately 33,000 hectares until 2030. This includes tripling contract farming output to 15 tons by 2030 and promoting Gangwon Province as a new apple production hub.
Gangwon's apple production share has increased from 0.5 percent in 2005 to 5 percent last year. Plans are underway to expand cultivation in five major apple production sites in Gangwon to 2,000 hectares by 2030. Additionally, the government is investing in "smart orchards" to reduce labor costs by 30 percent and increase domestic apple production by 8 percent. These efforts are part of a broader strategy to prepare for future apple imports and enhance the competitiveness of Korean apples on the global market.
Source: koreaherald.com