Our Paprika Exports to China... Supply to Premium Retail Stores

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwangho Lee] The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced on the 4th that it held a commemorative event in Gimje, Jeonbuk, for the export of Korean paprika to China.

This export is the result of 12 years of effort to pioneer the Chinese market. It is especially significant because it overcame the difficulty of on-site quarantine due to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) by using video quarantine methods.

Since starting quarantine negotiations with China in 2007, last year the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding on quarantine requirements. Following this, Chinese quarantine officials planned to enter Korea to conduct on-site quarantine, but due to COVID-19 restrictions on entry, Minister Kim Hyun-soo of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs made various efforts, including meeting with Xing Haiming, the Chinese Ambassador to Korea, to resolve the issue.

Thanks to these efforts, on-site quarantine was innovatively conducted using video, enabling the export of domestically produced paprika to China.

Last September, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, aT, and KOPA cooperated to conduct a pilot export of 820kg of paprika. Local buyers and consumers gave satisfactory evaluations regarding the quality of Korean paprika.

This export shipment ceremony was held to commemorate the first official export of Korean paprika to the Chinese market in November, when paprika is harvested in earnest.

The export volume is 1.7 tons, scheduled to depart from Pyeongtaek Port on the 7th and arrive at Tianjin Port on the 8th.

Starting with this export, about 1 to 2 tons will be supplied weekly to premium distribution stores in China such as BHG, City, and Chunbo.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs stated that considering the early stage of market development, it will focus on raising awareness of Korean paprika and forming the related market.

To this end, export channels will be unified centered on KOPA, and promotional activities will be intensively supported to build a high-quality image of Korean paprika.

In particular, various methods such as drama product placement (PPL) and recipe development and promotion through famous chefs will be used to support the rapid establishment of a fresh food culture in China.

Lee Jae-wook, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, urged, "Please do your best to secure export competitiveness, including quality control, for the stable settlement of Korean paprika in the Chinese market."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.