SEOUL, February 17 (AJP) - South Korea’s imports of fresh fruit soared to a record $1.45 billion (2.1 trillion won) in 2024, marking a 20.1 percent increase from the previous year, according to data from the Korea Rural Economic Institute.
The surge underscores the growing reliance on imported produce as domestic fruit production struggles with adverse weather conditions.
The value of imported fresh fruit, including bananas, pineapples, mangoes, oranges, and blueberries, exceeded the previous peak of $1.332 billion set in 2018 by 8.6 percent.
Fruit imports, which had been in decline since 2019 due to disruptions from El Nino and soaring shipping costs during the COVID-19 pandemic, rebounded as local orchards faced significant setbacks.
Spring frosts and intense summer heat waves in 2023, followed by prolonged high temperatures in 2024, sharply reduced the domestic supply of apples, pears, and tangerines.
As a result, prices for locally grown fruit surged. According to the National Statistical Portal, pears registered the highest price increase among 458 consumer goods tracked last year, rising by 71.9 percent. Tangerines followed with a 46.2 percent increase, while persimmons and apples climbed 36.6 percent and 30.2 percent, respectively.
Experts anticipate that the trend of rising fruit imports will persist as climate change continues to disrupt local harvests and cultivation areas shrink.
The Korea Rural Economic Institute projects total fruit imports — including fresh, dried, and frozen varieties — to rise by 6.8 percent to 817,000 tons in 2025. By 2034, the institute expects the volume to reach 865,000 tons, reflecting an average annual growth rate of 0.6 percent.
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