One of the main regions producing chamoe, or Korean melon, is Seongju in Gyeongsangbuk-do where approximately 80% of the Korean fruit is produced. This dominating production figure allows Koreans to automatically associate Korean melon with Seongju. The yellow fruit features the sweet taste and the crispy texture, winning popularity among consumers. Korean melon produced in this region is now attracting a great deal of attention from overseas consumers, let alone domestic consumers. At the heart of the growing attention, there is Wolhang Nonghyup.

#Ship Carefully Selected Korean melon

Wolhang Nonghyup produces Korean melon under such favorable natural conditions and ships out ones that pass its thorough sorting process. The Korean melon of Wolhang Nongjyup is cultivated by 120 member farmers of the agricultural products processing center(APC) of Wolhang Nonghyup, and only the ones passing through the thorough joint sorting process at the APC can be provided to consumers. In this process, a person in charge of quality control of agricultural produce vouches for the quality of such thoroughly selected Korean melon to facilitate the production of the ones of highly reliable and uniform quality.

However, the relatively high prices compared to other types of melon, and the inconvenience in peeling the fruit to eat it have prevented Korean melon from being exported abroad. In fact, the regional government and the agricultural association corporation tried to export Korean melon, but their efforts have not paid off greatly. In the meantime, Kang Do-soo was appointed as the association representative, and Wolhang Nonghyup started making a full-scale effort to export Korean melon from 2015.

Mr. Kang pointed opening a new market as the most challenging part of the export. “We started exporting Korean melon in 2015, but it was not easy to win the heart of foreign buyers who were not familiar with Korean melon back then. So, we had to make unremitting efforts to promote the excellence of our Korean melon by visiting the buyers one by one,” he recalled the past.

#Take a Step Forward to Achieve Million Dollar Export

Korean melon produced by Wolhang Nonghyup is now receiving a great deal of attention from consumers abroad. The export amount increased to USD 386,000 in 2018 from USD 280,000 in 2015. The export amount increased further to USD 977,000 in 2019 and is expected to reach USD 1 million this year.

The continued rise of the export of Wolhang Nonghyup Korean melon is attributed to the thorough quality control at the producing spots. Wolhang Nonghyup produces a unified variety of Korean melon and harvests only the ones with 11 brix or higher in sweetness. It provides its own farming education to enhance the overall cultivation technique of the member farmers. In addition to these efforts made by the agricultural cooperative, the packaging technology for maintaining the freshness, which is developed by the rural development administration(RDA), is of great help for the export. Further, the agricultural cooperative holds promotional events by inviting overseas buyers over for the purpose of expanding the export and is steadily raising the brand image of Wolhang Nonghyup Korean melon.

#Increase Recognition for Korean melon by Developing Processed Products

Wolhang Nonghyup is receiving favorable responses from overseas buyers for its inventive, and original ideas related to Korean melon. The agricultural cooperative released facial mask sheets made by processing Korean melon. The mask sheets were initially given away as a gift to overseas buyers as part of an effort to promote its Korean melon. The giveaway was so popular among the buyers who used it themselves afterward that they made inquiries about how to purchase the mask sheets. Boosted by the popularity, the mask sheets have now become a cash cow, creating added values along with the export of Korean melon.

Mr. Kang added, “We are planning to develop various Korean melon-based processed products including oil made with Korean melon seeds in addition to the mask sheets while exporting raw Korean melon abroad, and create more added values with these products.”

Inquiries: Wolhang Nonghyup

Tel: +82-54-932-9191

E-mail: nh733102-1@nonghyup.com