Cabbage sector threatened by imports

Imports from China are about to overwhelm the area of ??" kimchi" South Korean.

The " kimchi" is a traditional dish prepared with cabbage femented with a mixture of chilli, ginger and salted fish sauce . There are different types of " kimchi" , many regional and seasonal varieties. It is a basic Korean produce.

In 2010, after poor harvests (150 000 tonnes of cabbage instead of 250 000 tonnes usually) that had caused a real inflation on the price of cabbage ( up to 7.30 euros each ) , imports from China started . Then with customs simplification , the Chinese " kimchi" has replaced the raw cabbage, and currently, China's imports of " kimchi" has been of 200 000 tonnes.

The " kimchi" China has become very popular, it would be used in 90% of restaurants in the country and in most of the major structures ( hospitals, schools, businesses). Korean professionals explain that this is not the quality of imported products which increased volumes but lower controls.

A member of the Korean Parliament recently said: " We must consider the "kimchi" industry as important as the automotive and technology ." This shows the importance of this sector for the country.

source : korea times us com