South Korea’s fresh fruit imports reached an all-time high in 2024. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Feb. 17 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s fresh fruit imports reached an all-time high in 2024, surpassing $1.4 billion for the first time, driven by rising domestic fruit prices and increased demand for imported alternatives.
According to the Korea Rural Economic Institute (KREI), imports of 12 major fresh fruits amounted to $1.447 billion (approximately 2.09 trillion won) in 2024, marking a 20.1% increase from the previous year’s $1.205 billion. This figure also exceeds the previous record of $1.332 billion set in 2018 by 8.6%.
The 12 major imported fruits include bananas, pineapples, mangoes, avocados, grapes, kiwis, cherries, pomegranates, blueberries, oranges, lemons, and grapefruits.
Climatic and Market Trends Driving Imports
While fresh fruit imports had been on a steady rise until 2018 due to the liberalization of the agricultural market, subsequent years saw disruptions caused by adverse weather conditions and logistical issues. Poor harvests in key exporting regions due to El Niño, combined with shipping delays and rising freight costs during the COVID-19 pandemic, led to a decline in imports between 2020 and 2022.
However, 2023 and 2024 saw a rebound in imports, largely due to the reduced domestic supply of fruits. Adverse weather conditions—including prolonged heatwaves in 2023—led to a drop in the production of apples, pears, and other local fruits, driving up their prices. In response, the South Korean government expanded the application of tariff quotas on imported fruits to stabilize supply and prices.
According to Statistics Korea’s national statistics portal (KOSIS), among 458 consumer price index items, pears saw the highest year-on-year price increase in 2024 at 71.9%, followed by tangerines (46.2%), persimmons (36.6%), and apples (30.2%).
Long-Term Outlook: Rising Dependence on Imported Fruits
Experts predict that fresh fruit imports will continue to rise in the coming years due to declining domestic production and recurring climate-related disruptions. A KREI official stated, “Over the long term, decreasing fruit cultivation areas and repeated climate anomalies will lead to reduced domestic fruit production, driving higher fresh fruit imports.”
In its Agricultural Outlook 2025 report, KREI projected that South Korea’s total fruit imports—including fresh, dried, and frozen varieties—will reach 817,000 tons in 2025, a 6.8% increase from the previous year. By 2034, total fruit imports are expected to reach 865,000 tons, growing at an average annual rate of 0.6%.
Further complicating the market, former U.S. President Donald Trump’s planned reciprocal tariff policy, set to take effect on April 1, may place additional pressure on South Korea’s fruit imports from the United States.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
