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Declining fruit consumption in South Korea
South Korea
Wednesday 13 March 2024
VU
South Korea's Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs reveals that per capita fruit consumption in the country has fallen by 19% to 55 kilograms in 2022, after peaking at 67.9 kilograms in 2007 (photo: citrusindustry.net).
Fruit consumption in South Korea has experienced a remarkable 20% decline in the last 15 years. The phenomenon is attributed to a shortage of supply and rising prices, according to a Korean media outlet.
South Korea's Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs reveals that per capita fruit consumption in the country has fallen by 19% to 55 kilograms in 2022, after peaking at 67.9 kilograms in 2007.
Mandarins and apples lead per capita consumption with 11.8 and 11.0 kilograms respectively, followed by pears (4.4 kg), grapes (4.4 kg), peaches (3.7 kg) and persimmons (1.9 kg).
According to another Rural Development Administration report, fruit consumption is directly related to prices, as it is often perceived as a less essential food, the consumption of which decreases when prices rise.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a 1.4% reduction in consumer spending on agricultural, livestock and fishery products. In particular, agricultural products and fruits experienced declines of 6.9 per cent and 9.3 per cent, respectively.
With the recent rise in inflation, there are no signs of an early recovery in fruit consumption and prices.
Mandarins and apples lead the way in price increases. In January and February this year, fruit prices rose by almost 40% compared to the previous year, marking the biggest increase in 32 years. During the same period, the prices of mandarins and apples, the two most popular fruits, shot up by 71% and 78%, respectively.
The reduction in production was the key factor driving the increase in fruit prices. The total area under fruit cultivation in South Korea decreased from 172,900 hectares in 2000 to 158,830 hectares in 2022. In addition, the total number of farmers in Korea, affected by the rapidly ageing population, has also declined steadily from 2.85 million to 2.17 million in the last decade.
fuente: koreaherald.com, simfruit.cl
