Hot peppers: Market development and consumption in Korea

As hot peppers have been recognised as a high income crop, their cultivation area is on the increase, according to KREI, the Korea Rural Economic Institute. In 2007, they were grown on an area of 343 ha, three times more than in 2000.

 

Both exports and domestic consumption of hot peppers are rising in Korea, and production and marketing policies that take account of these trends need to be implemented, the Institute observes.

 

KREI reports that Korean peppers are the favourite choice of Japanese buyers, based on price and quality criteria. However, if exports to the Japanese market are to increase, prices will have to be lowered, and in general, greater organisation is required on the part of producers, in order that they may expand both domestic and foreign markets, control supply and demand, and make the pepper industry more competitive.

In recent years, consumption of hot peppers has increased in Korea: in 2007, the domestic market accounted for 56% of production, with total fresh pepper consumption of 254,000 t, 35.1% more than in 2002.