Wando-gun Helps Abalone Producers by Selling 11 Tons of Abalone Through Event

Published 24 Aug.2021 16:15(KST)

Hyanguhoe, Sister City Public Officials Actively Participate

Wando Live Abalone / Photo by Asia Economy

[Wando＝Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Kyungpil] Wando-gun, Jeollanam-do (Governor Shin Woo-cheol) sold 11,273 kg of abalone, worth about 320 million KRW, through the ‘Wando Abalone Producers Support’ event held for three weeks starting from the 2nd.

According to the county on the 24th, the abalone sales event was temporarily held to help fishermen who are experiencing triple hardships due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic causing a decline in abalone consumption, concerns over abalone mortality caused by high water temperatures, and summer typhoons.

In particular, hometown associations and public officials from sister cities actively participated in this event.

The hometown associations ordered a total of 5,294 kg of abalone from the abalone producers’ associations in each town and township to share the hardships of local fishermen, providing great support to the fishermen.

Abalone weighing 4,704 kg was sold to public officials nationwide, including those from Yangcheon-gu in Seoul, Nam-gu in Gwangju Metropolitan City, Hwaseong-si, Yongin-si, and Cheonan-si, which have sisterhood ties with our county and engage in active exchanges in various fields.

Additionally, about 739 kg of live abalone and boneless abalone were sold through Naver Live Commerce during the hottest days of summer, and 536 kg were sold through the Geumil Fisheries Cooperative shopping mall.

Meanwhile, Wando-gun is strengthening ‘untact marketing’ to overcome the COVID-19 crisis and is preparing sales events for the upcoming Chuseok holiday.

Abalone advertisements will be broadcast on TV and radio, and various TV programs will be actively attracted to promote the excellence of Wando seafood such as abalone, flatfish, and seaweed, aiming to lead to increased sales.

As consumer trends shift from face-to-face to online mall usage, a Chuseok holiday promotion will be held in collaboration with major online shopping malls (Naver, Post Office).

Wando abalone, raised on seaweed such as sea mustard and kelp from the clean sea, contains abundant vitamins, iron, calcium, and protein, earning it the nickname ‘Ginseng of the Sea.’

In particular, research results published in ‘Marine Drugs,’ a globally authoritative marine pharmaceutical journal, have shown that extracts from abalone viscera and seaweeds such as hijiki, sea mustard, kelp, and sea mustard stems are effective in inhibiting the penetration of the COVID-19 virus.

Governor Shin Woo-cheol said, “We will do our best to revitalize the abalone industry together with related organizations such as the Wando Abalone Producers Association, the Wando Fisheries Management Association, and distribution companies by promoting abalone and holding consumption promotion events in various ways suited to the untact consumption era.”