South American imports increase in South Korea
Fruits, fish and other fresh products imported from South America are gaining popularity among South Korean consumers, mainly because of their low prices.
According to the Lotte Mart chain, food imports from Peru, Chile and other Latin American countries increased more than 10 percent in 2014 compared to a year earlier.
One of Korea's three largest discount chain stores expects the trend to continue this year, adding that Korea will import a wider assortment of agricultural, fishery and livestock products from the region.
«Korea used to import large quantities of oranges and other fruits from the United States. For fish, prawns and other fishery products, Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries were the main exporters«says a Lotte Mart spokesperson. «But things have changed, because now the country imports much more at lower prices from South America«.
It has become more expensive to import fresh produce from the United States and Southeast Asia because the harvests have declined, according to the spokesperson, adding that free trade agreements between Korea and Latin American countries have allowed imports of agricultural products from that region to be cheaper.
«The growing number of consumers wants to try fresh products from South America, which pushes us and other retailers to import more from there", Add.
According to Lotte Mart, the sale of cranberries imported from Chile increased by 445,6 percent during the period from January to February, from the same period last year. Nuts and grapes from that country also rose by 54 percent and 52 percent, respectively.
Source: Koreatimes.co.kr
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