The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs held a meeting at aT Center in Seoul on Tuesday to discuss strategies for sustaining growth in Korean agricultural and food exports.
The meeting centered on expanding exports of K-Food+ -- a category that includes agricultural and food products along with related industries such as smart farming, agricultural equipment and veterinary medicines -- with officials discussing the outlooks of local firms, implementation plans and government support measures to boost shipments.
The meeting comes amid initiatives to build on last year’s record-breaking export success and set new milestones for the coming year.
K-Food+ exports hit a record high of $13.03 billion last year, with 14 products achieving record-breaking sales. Among these performers were ramyeon, rice-based products, kimchi, yuzu, grapes and agricultural pesticides. Korea also expanded its reach in smart farming technology and agricultural products to more countries than ever.
This year, the ministry is actively pursuing goals such as supporting its strategic agricultural export items through premium product offerings, product development and marketing.
Other efforts include exploring new markets in collaboration with the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency, developing export-specific technologies and creating export opportunities through intergovernmental cooperation. The ministry also plans to leverage the widespread influence of Korean culture in its marketing efforts, while assisting companies in responding to nontariff barriers.
Agriculture Minister Song Mi-ryeong stressed the significance of K-Food+ exports for the national economy, the country's brand and the connection between the food and agriculture industries, stating, “We should work as one team -- companies, relevant organizations and government agencies -- to do our best to expand exports this year.”
As part of efforts to boost exports, industry officials also pledged to launch products tailored to international consumers and to leverage Korean culture, despite challenges such as strengthened nontariff barriers.
Following the meeting, the ministry hosted a briefing session on agricultural and food export support projects, drawing around 300 company representatives who showed keen interest in government-backed programs that could benefit their exports.
minmin@heraldcorp.com
