South Korean persimmons have officially cleared Chinese customs and set sail for Shanghai, marking the culmination of a 17-year diplomatic and quarantine effort that establishes the fruit as a major agricultural export to the world’s largest consumer market, Nongmin Minwon reported.
The first shipment of 19.6 metric tons departed from Busan Harbor on November 6 after a formal loading ceremony held by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation at the Dong-eup Agricultural Cooperative in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province. The produce is scheduled to arrive in Shanghai on November 10, where it will be distributed to high-end retailers such as CitySuper.
Seventeen Years of Quarantine Negotiations
The export route opened nearly a month ahead of original projections after winning formal approval on October 30. The achievement follows a bilateral agreement reached during a summit between South Korea and China on the margins of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Gyeongju last November.
Quarantine negotiations for South Korean persimmons began in 2008. The process moved forward in February with the implementation of new export quarantine guidelines for fresh South Korean persimmons, followed by the designation of five export complexes in South Gyeongsang Province in May.
South Korea Shifts Persimmon Exports Beyond Southeast Asia
Until now, South Korean persimmon exports relied heavily on Southeast Asian markets. Last year, total persimmon exports reached 3,217 tons, with 80% concentrated in five destinations, including the Philippines, Malaysia, and Hong Kong.
Persimmons follow paprika, which opened the Chinese market in 2019, as a core fresh agricultural export for South Korea. Government officials emphasize that the fruit requires no artificial ripening, setting it apart from astringent Chinese varieties that typically undergo post-harvest ripening.
Upcoming Promotional Campaigns Across China
Agricultural authorities plan to roll out targeted marketing campaigns to establish the fruit as a premium offering. Officials will highlight the immediate consumption quality of South Korean persimmons during promotional events.
A series of trade briefings and retail exhibitions targeting local buyers will open on November 19 across Hebei province and Beijing. Additional consumer experience events and business-to-business buyer consultations are scheduled from November 21 to 24 in Shenzhen, running concurrently with APEC-linked trade activities.
South Gyeongsang Province’s director of the agricultural policy bureau noted that regional authorities intend to actively support local production infrastructure and promotional efforts to secure a firm foothold in the Chinese market. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs’s food industry policy officer stated that the administration will maintain strict quarantine management and promotional backing to ensure the fruit successfully reaches consumer tables.
