Chrysanthemum Variety Developed with Our Technology, Exported Seeds to Vietnam for 300 Million KRW Over 7 Years

Nongjincheong Developed Variety 'Baekgang'
Capable of Year-Round Production with Strong Resistance to White Rust Disease

The chrysanthemum variety 'Baekgang,' developed with domestic technology in Korea, will enter the Vietnamese market with usage fees of approximately 300 million KRW over seven years.

On the 28th, the Rural Development Administration announced that it successfully signed a seed export contract for Baekgang, a large white chrysanthemum (white large chrysanthemum) resistant to white rust. Starting this year, Baekgang cultivation will be expanded in Dalat and other major flower production areas in Vietnam, with plans to increase production volume and expand to about 200 hectares (90 million plants) in scale after seven years.

Baekgang, developed by the Rural Development Administration, can be produced year-round, has clean flower color, and petals that do not fall off easily, making it suitable for long-distance transport. The flower (cut flower) lifespan is 3 to 4 weeks, nearly twice as long as general chrysanthemums (2 weeks). It is also resistant to white rust, reducing the amount of pesticides used for control by about 30%, and because it grows at lower temperatures, heating costs in winter can be saved by about 20% compared to existing varieties. White rust is a fungal disease that causes pustules on chrysanthemums, reducing their marketability, and is the most problematic disease in chrysanthemum cultivation.

Large white chrysanthemums, mainly used for funerals, account for 70% of the chrysanthemum market in Korea and Japan. Especially in Asian markets such as China and Vietnam, demand is steadily increasing, but most transactions are centered on Japanese varieties.

Within five years of its distribution, Baekgang accounts for 12% of the large white chrysanthemums traded domestically (based on the 2022 aT Flower Auction Market data), rapidly replacing Japanese chrysanthemums such as 'Shinma' and 'Baekseon.' Additionally, from 2020 to last year, 440,000 flowers (worth 380 million KRW) were exported to Japan, the chrysanthemum origin country.

Vietnam produces 1.5 billion chrysanthemums annually, consuming them domestically and exporting some to Japan. With a well-established culture of home flower consumption and active flower use in various religious events, Vietnam is proactive in overseas investment to attract superior varieties, cultivation technology, and capital.

The Rural Development Administration has also established safeguards prioritizing the protection of domestic farmers. In 2021, variety protection applications were completed in both Japan and Vietnam, and unauthorized propagation or distribution of the Baekgang variety without separate permission is prohibited. Furthermore, Baekgang produced locally in Vietnam can only be sold within Vietnam, and prior approval is required for export elsewhere. To prevent illegal distribution, molecular markers have been developed to distinguish eight major large white chrysanthemum varieties mainly distributed domestically and internationally.

An official from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs stated, "In addition to securing the Vietnamese market, if the export of Baekgang produced in Vietnam to Japan is promoted, the recognition and competitiveness of our chrysanthemums will increase, which is expected to benefit domestic flower export farmers in the long term."

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