Chamoe (Korean melon) is a thermophilic crop that thrives at 25-30 degrees Celsius. In English, chamoe
is also called oriental melon. It is an annual plant belonging to the gourd family, and is believed to
have originated in Africa, India, and China. From its origin, the fruit spread across Asia to become chamoe
and melon in Europe. It is known that chamoe was introduced from the Chinese region of Hwabuk during
the Three Kingdoms period or earlier, and chamoe cultivation became common during the Unified Silla
period in Korea.

Seongju County, which has been cultivating chamoe since the 1940s, is the leading chamoe
producer in Korea. Located at the meeting point of Mt. Gayasan, standing at 1,433 meters above the sea level,
and the Nakdong River, one of the four major rivers in South Korea, the area boasts fertile soil and excellent
drainage, making it ideal for growing chamoe. Seongju chamoe boasts the highest quality in terms
of shape, color, and many other qualities. It is rich in vitamin C, 10-200mg, and has 89.8% water content
and 7.3 g carbohydrate content. It has 32 calories and contains 14mg of calcium and 12mg of phosphorus.
The sweetness level is 15-17 Brix. 

Regarding chamoe cultivation in Seongju County, in 2019, 3,896 farms produced 188,384 tons of chamoe on
3,457.7 hectares, generating 505 billion won in revenue. In 2020, 3,848 farms produced 186,501 tons of chamoe
on 3,433.2 hectares, generating 501.9 billion won in revenue. The export volume is also not small. Two
hundred and sixty-three tons worth 870 million won in 2017, 215 tonnes worth 700 million won in 2018, 436
tons worth 1.4 billion won in 2019 and 415 tons worth 1.39 billion won in 2020 were exported to Japan, Hong
Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore and other countries. More than 70% of chamoe are sold from late March to
late June. This period accounts for about 90% of the total sales revenue. The main selling season is from the
Lunar New Year in February to the Chuseok holiday in September. Rarely, chamoe is sold in the middle of
winter, in December. As greenhouse cultivation has become more common, it is possible to find chamoe, a
typical summer fruit, all year round now. 

The Agricultural Products Distribution Center (APC) of National Agricultural Cooperative Federation
(Nonghyup) in Wolhang-myeon, Seongju County, has been leading the distribution and export of the largest
amount of chamoe in the region. This year's sales performance from January to March is similar to last
year's, with 1,389 tons worth 10 billion won. In 2022, the center shipped 6,497 tons and earned 31.5 billion
won. In 2021, it shipped 7,292 tons and earned 33.2 billion won. In 2020, it shipped 7,199 tons and earned
27.9 billion won, and in 2019, it shipped 7,664 tons and earned 29.2 billion won. Of the 300 chamoe farms in
Wolhang-myeon, 130 member farms contributed to this amount. There are 10 agricultural cooperatives in
Seongju County. Of the 300 chamoe farms in Wolhangmyeon, 130 farms participated in the APC. Of Wolhang
Nonghyup's total business income of 48.47 billion won, 31.5 billion won came from the distribution and sale of chamoe.

Wolhang Nonghyup exported 248 tons of chamoe worth 1.33 billion won to Japan, Hong Kong, Russia
and Mongolia in 2021 and 240 tons in 2022 (1 USD = 1,300 KRW). In 2020, 265 tons worth 1.1 billion won
were exported to Singapore and other countries. Wolhang Nonghyup is the No. 1 agricultural cooperative in the area, accounting for most of Seongju County's chamoe exports. Vladivostok in Russia, Mongolia and Japan are the main destinations for chamoe exports. Chamoe is transported to Mongolia and Japan by ship, while Hong Kong can also be reached by ship, but air transport is more common. The first export deal with Singapore was concluded in 2013, under which chamoe worth 260 million won were delivered by air. Chamoe is best stored in the fridge or at temperatures around 4-6 celsius. If there is a temperature difference of more than 10 celsius from the production environment, condensation may occur, leading to a deterioration in quality. Once harvested and graded, the shelf life depends on the storage method. It is possible to transport Chamoe in refrigerated containers from the point of sale to Singapore within approximately 10 days.