“July, is when the green grapes are ripening in my hometown”

It is a verse from the poem called ‘Cheongpodo’ by Lee Yuk-sa, one of Korea’s most famous poets. As you can grasp the idea from Lee Yuk-sa’s poem, July to August is the high season to deeply inhale the pleasant fragrance of grapes in Korea. A range of grape varieties, including shine muscat, is preparing to greet global consumers. As a representative summer fruit, Korean grapes are not only beloved by Koreans but also sought-after in the world market. Hereby, the presents the story of quality Korean grape cultivation sites, grape varieties, and export policies of Korean grapes visualizing the export of USD 100 million.

 

#Korean grapes you can encounter abroad

 

① Grape export cash cow, Shine Muscat

The shine muscat is the most popular variety in Korea at the moment. Its value is recognized not only at home but also abroad. Unlike the existing grape varieties such as campbell early or Kyoho, it is not purple in color but rather radiates bright green, which is good enough to feel a sense of freshness. This grape is much-loved by men and women of all ages due to its high sugar content, crispy texture, and the absence of seeds. Therefore, the purchase rate among Korean consumers remains high even if it’s costly than other grape varieties. It is mainly consumed as fresh, but also presented in many different forms such as iced fizzy drink or baked tart.

With such high preference of consumers, the cultivation area of shine muscat in Korea is rapidly increasing. In fact, it is estimated that 278ha of cultivation area in 2016 have reached 1,867ha in 2019.

The shine muscat grown from Korea has a high sugar content of 18 Brix or above, which is greater than that of bananas. The Korean varieties are exported from early July, and can be found until February of the following year as a result of the outstanding development of storage technology. The main export countries are Vietnam, Hong Kong, and China.

 

② Korea’s representative grape variety, Campbell Early

The campbell early is the most cultivated grapes in Korea. The domestic cultivation area is 6,041ha as of 2019, accounting for 48% of the total grape cultivation area. The campbell early is known to have been introduced to Korea since 1908. It is also the most familiar grape variety after more than 100 years of cultivation.

The campbell early is highly preferred among consumers due to the right proportion of combination of sweetness and sourness. The Korean campbell early is characterized by its easy separation of rinds and contains abundant juice. In particular, this variety is produced into wine in Korea unlike other countries. The main export countries are the United States and Singapore.

 

③ Kyoho, signifies a big peak

Kyoho has a larger berry size than other grapes. It is not only large in size, but also has a strong sweetness and lesser seeds, which makes it easy to eat, and highly preferred. Kyoho is a nutrient-packed variety, rich in minerals and vitamins, calcium, potassium, and iron. Therefore, you can have a balanced diet if you eat grapes as a dessert after consuming meat, which is an animal protein. It is recommended that you select grapes with elastic berries and white stains that are constant in size.

The Korean Kyoho with Brix 16 or above are exported, and the weight should range between 400g to 800g. The cultivation area in Korea is 3,150ha, and the main export countries are Australia and Singapore.

 

#The Leading Exporter of Korean Shine Muscat

Gimcheon, Gyeongsangbuk-do, is one of the largest producers of Korean grapes. Being a region with the most grape producing in Korea, many varieties are available. In 2016, the shine muscat varieties in Gimcheon area, was exported to overseas for the first time at home. Let us hear the story of Saegimcheon Nonghyup and the Export Grapes Trade Union who are writing the myth of Korea's shine muscat exports.

 

#Shine muscat introduced to consumers from 13 countries

The first export of Korean shine muscat goes back to 2016. At this time, the lead character who succeeded in exporting domestic shine muscat was Saegimcheon Nonghyup. Back then, the shine muscat grapes were also trendy in Korea and was treated as a luxurious fruit. Thus, it was said that it is a difficult item to export among exporters. Nevertheless, based on the experiences of exporting Kyoho since 2011, Saegimcheon Nonghyup has attempted to export shine muscat to Hong Kong. Initially, only a small quantity was traded along with Kyoho. However, it was well received against everyone’s expectation. The reason was very simple. Its high sugar content and constant quality were the prime factors.

As a result, exports to 13 countries including Taiwan, Thailand, China, Canada, as well as Vietnam, Hong Kong, and Singapore have been successful, which are currently the major export markets. In particular, there were several cases where demands from buyers in some countries were high enough to visit Korea and requested to expand export volume. Such response naturally led to export quantity and value. In the beginning of export in 2016, the amount increased from 3.2 tons to USD 25,800 to 157 tons to USD 2.334 million in 2019.

Son Sang-pil, the director of Saegimcheon Nonghyup said, “While everyone else said that export would be difficult, we could have been the first exporter to trade shine muscat out of Korea thanks to the exceptional condition of production. At present, Saegimcheon Nonghyup has the right to determine the price, so as long as quality shine muscats are cultivated, there should be no problem in exporting abroad.”

 

#Become the quality standards of Korean shine muscat

Behind the Nonghyup’s lucrative export of shine muscat, the Export Grapes Trade Union lies in the background. In 2012, the Union was formed consisting of professional growers especially for grape exports, with members of 41 elite farmers who are struggling to distribute grapes to the world market.

The shine muscat varieties they export are produced through meticulous quality control. The product must pass a series of condition to be traded such as sugar content of 18 Brix or higher, the size of a single berry should be 15g or more, and the weight of a grape cluster must be between 600g to 800g. Before covering grape bags on the fruit, pruning must be done about three times. This is possibly to produce shine muscat grapes of a certain standard and quality.

In this way, the Export Grapes Trade Union is making every effort not only to produce the finest grapes, but also to secure safety. In fact, all the members have obtained the GAP certification, and 10 farmers are waiting for the global GAP certification in this September. After all, every member aims to acquire a global GAP certification in the future.

Another element that makes Saegimcheon Nonghyup’s grapes stand out is packaging. Currently, there are 7 types of different sized packaging for export from 350g, 450g, 500g, 600g, 1kg, 2kg, up to 4kg. This is to accommodate consumer’s different demand and local distributors in exporting countries. For example, Vietnam and Thailand prefer large clusters, while Hong Kong and Singapore prefer petite packages. In addition, packaging methods have been diversified in accordance with local distribution channels such as large distribution companies and wholesale markets. These conspicuous efforts eventually led overseas consumers to find shine muscat products from Saegimcheon Nonghyup.

Choi Young-sik, the President of the Export Grapes Trade Union said, “Our members cultivate the first-rate and uniform shine muscats with the idea that they are the basis of the quality of Korean shine muscats. We will continue to do our best to produce shine muscats that can be trusted and enjoyed by consumers around the world."

 

Saegimcheon Nonghyup

·Tel : +82-54-430-3017

·Fax : +82-54-430-3746

·E-mail : ssp724@naver.com

 

#The core of Korean grape exports, Korea Grape Export Association

In May 2019, the Korean grape industry created a noticeable organization. With the goal of stable export of top quality Korean grapes, the Korean Grape Export Association, which is an integrated export organization with 50 Korean producers and 52 exporters, was born. Hwang Eui-chang, the representative director of the Association, shared the role and future plans of the organization.

 

-Explain the purpose of establishing Korea Grape Export Association and its function.

The Korean grapes are globally recognized for its excellence, and therefore, exports are growing year by year. However, when it comes to quality, it is still low and there is an issue of price competitiveness. As a result, the voice of competing with quality rather than price has risen to enhance the export quality of grapes, which resulted in cooperation with the Korean government. The primary responsibility is to gather opinions from member companies to determine the unit price for export. The bottom line is not to export below a certain price, which will reduce price competition. Another important role is to check whether the grapes fall under the quality standards. Currently, export grapes must exceed 17 Brix for shine muscat, 16 Brix for Kyoho, and 15 Brix for campbell early. A norm was set so that exports can only be made when the product reaches a certain amount of weight. In addition, cultivation technology must be backed up to produce the finest grapes. The Association is also strengthening education on cultivation techniques by visiting grape producing regions with the government and related organizations.

 

-What are the advantages of Korean grapes?

The domestic grapes are proud of its high quality and are excellent in safety. The export grape growers pay special attention to safety by acquiring Korean GAP certification as well as global GAP certification. All of us are putting much effort to produce grapes that suit the tastes of consumers around the world. The grapes for export must meet certain quality standards, so there is no variation in quality. I would like to emphasize that Korean grapes are safe and reliable while maintaining its quality.

 

-What is the future plan the Korean Grape Export Association is focusing on?

At present, a wide range of grape varieties are being studied. The variety research is the most important part to develop grapes that satisfy the taste buds of consumers. Of course, we can’t neglect the fact it is time consuming. However, in order to expand varieties that can represent Korea, we must start now. Along with this, as most grapes are now exported as fresh fruits, there is a plan to trade processed products in the future as well. For example, grape clusters that are not in a good form for export can be handled as grapes packed in handy cups for dessert, or manufacture processed products such as raisins.

 

 

#Foster grapes as a leading product for Korean agricultural product

Grape is a significant export item of Korea. The Korean grape exports increased substantially from USD 539 million in 2016 to USD 2.352 million in 2019. By expanding the period, export growth of Korean grapes has widened by 26.2% per year for the past 10 years.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs is planning to develop a star product aiming to achieve USD 100 million within five years. To this end, in order for Korean grapes to be properly recognized in the world, it aims to focus on preventing low-price and low-quality exports. In particular, as the Korea Grape Export Association, an organization for grape exports, has been established last year, the Ministry decided to support the research and development and maintain the market order of export prices.

Moreover, education and technical assistance are periodically provided with related organizations to enable grape cultivation according to quality demands by country such as sugar content and size. Above all, in order to expand demand in the export-oriented market, department stores and premium grocery stores are also being promoted in China and Vietnam, where grapes are becoming popular as gifts.

The Korean government believes that if it succeeds in producing high-quality grapes perfect for accommodating each country’s demand and customized marketing for overseas markets, it will be able to export USD 100 million within five years.

An Kwang-hyun, the secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, said, “We provide technical training by region and by period to upgrade the cultivation technology of the field. We will also support facilities that can extend the shelf life, such as pre-cooling facilities. Our government will spare no effort to encourage the expansion of Korean grape exports.”