Efforts Underway to Create Premium Hamyang Gotgam... 40% Increase in Production Expected

High Sugar Content and Firm Texture Due to Large Temperature Differences, Traditionally Presented to Kings

Making Premium Dried Persimmons
[Image source=Hamyang-gun]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Soon-kyung] Recently, in Jirisan Hamyang, farmers are busy making premium dried persimmons by peeling and hanging persimmons.

At over 530 dried persimmon producing farms in Hamyang-gun, Gyeongnam, the production of dried persimmons has recently begun in earnest, and with favorable weather forecasts until early to mid-December, it is expected that high-quality premium Hamyang dried persimmons will be available.

From the end of October, the harvest of raw persimmons starts, and from early this month, peeled astringent persimmons undergo drying and are made into dried persimmons by early December to be sold to consumers.

After peeling, the two-week period is crucial for quality control; the humidity in the drying facility must be maintained at about 60% to prevent mold damage, and if the temperature is low, measures must be taken to avoid cold damage.

During this period, the astringent taste disappears, sugar content increases by 3 to 4 times, and moisture content decreases by 30 to 40%. Therefore, farmers devote great care not only to managing the temperature and humidity of the drying facility but also to handling the raw persimmons carefully.

Dried persimmons produced in Hamyang-gun, located at the foot of Jirisan, boast high sugar content and firm flesh due to the large temperature difference between day and night, and have been renowned since ancient times to the extent that they were presented to kings.

Last year, Hamyang dried persimmons produced 180,000 trays (100 pieces per tray), generating an income of 21 billion KRW. This year, the county expects production to increase by about 40% due to favorable conditions.

Additionally, Hamyang-gun is investing 1.4 billion KRW this year to produce premium dried persimmons by supporting modern drying facility improvements, low-temperature storage, low-temperature dryers, peeling machines, temperature and humidity control equipment, and packaging materials. A production tracking system has also been introduced and operated to enhance the safety and reliability of dried persimmons.

Furthermore, to widely promote Hamyang dried persimmons, starting with an auction in early December, the 6th Hamyang Gojongsi Dried Persimmon Festival will be held in January 2022, along with special sales events in Seoul to showcase the taste and quality of Hamyang dried persimmons.

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