South Korea’s agri-food exports saw a robust 4 percent increase year-on-year in the first quarter, driven by significant global demand for popular instant noodles and fresh Korean fruits, according to government data released Friday.
Total outbound shipments of these South Korean agricultural and food products amounted to $2.56 billion during the January-March period, an increase from $2.45 billion reported in the same quarter last year. This data was compiled by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
Regionally, exports to the Middle East experienced a substantial surge, growing 32.3 percent year-on-year to reach $106.9 million. Similarly, shipments to the greater Chinese region also saw impressive growth, climbing 14.5 percent to $568.9 million.
North American markets absorbed $508.9 million in Korean agri-food products, marking a 6.3 percent increase. Exports to the economies of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) grew by 2.2 percent, totaling $481.9 million. The European Union market also showed positive trends, with exports rising 4.9 percent to $233.4 million.
Delving into specific product categories, exports of South Korea’s renowned instant noodles, commonly known as ramyeon, demonstrated exceptional performance. They soared by 26.4 percent year-on-year in the first quarter, reaching an impressive $424.5 million.
Other popular items also contributed significantly; exports of Korean snacks grew 11.4 percent to $193.9 million, while ice cream exports expanded a notable 18 percent to $31.2 million.
Reflecting the increasing global popularity of South Korean fruits, significant growth was observed across several categories. Exports of fresh strawberries increased by 14.7 percent to $46.2 million, grape exports surged by 24.6 percent to $17.3 million, and shipments of high-quality pears experienced a remarkable spike of 69.2 percent, reaching $7.3 million.
