"Winter's Favorite Snack"... Lotte Mart Begins Full-Scale Sales of Domestic 'Hopungmi Sweet Potato'

Distinctive Sweetness and Soft Texture of Domestic Varieties

On November 10, Lotte Mart announced that it will sell a box (1.5kg) of 'Hopungmi Sweet Potato' for 5,990 won from November 13 to 19. The Hopungmi Sweet Potato, harvested in Gimje, North Jeolla Province, will be supplied in a total quantity of 200 tons and is planned to be sold through January next year.

Hopungmi is a domestic variety developed to replace the previously imported 'Beniharuka' variety. It is characterized by stable yields even under abnormal climate conditions such as heat waves and droughts. In addition, it is resistant to pests and diseases and has excellent storability, resulting in high cultivation efficiency and steadily increasing demand from production regions. According to the Rural Development Administration, as of last year, Hopungmi accounted for 8.5% of the total sweet potato cultivation area in Korea. The agency expects the cultivation area to continue expanding due to its superior quality and cultivation stability.

Kwon Sangmun, MD (Merchandise Planner), promoting the domestic variety 'Hopungmi Sweet Potato' at the vegetable section of Lotte Mart Zeta Plex Jamsil branch located in Songpa-gu, Seoul. Provided by Lotte Mart.

This sweet potato variety combines the advantages of chestnut sweet potatoes and pumpkin sweet potatoes. Its appearance, with a purplish skin, resembles chestnut sweet potatoes, while its deep yellow flesh offers the sweet taste and soft texture characteristic of pumpkin sweet potatoes.

As morning temperatures drop below 10 degrees Celsius and chilly weather continues, demand for sweet potatoes-a representative winter snack-is expected to rise rapidly. In fact, from October 18 to November 7, when temperatures dropped sharply last month, Lotte Mart's sweet potato sales increased by about 20% compared to the same period last year.

Lotte Mart also offers domestic apple varieties in addition to sweet potatoes. This is part of the 'K-Variety Project,' which aims to reduce royalty payments for agricultural seeds exported overseas and to help secure income for domestic farmers. The domestic apple market is currently centered on the imported 'Fuji' variety. According to the 'Analysis of Major Apple Production Areas and Variety Changes' released by the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation in November last year, the Fuji variety accounted for 52% of total shipments in 2023, the highest share.

To strengthen the competitiveness and diversify the varieties of domestic apples, Lotte Mart has introduced and is selling domestic varieties such as 'Arisu' and 'Gamhong.' Until November 12, Lotte Mart is offering 'Arisu Apples' (4 to 7 per bag) for 14,990 won, and 'Golden Sweet Gamhong Apples' (4 to 6 per bag) for 19,920 won with a 20% agricultural discount for L.Point members.

Kwon Sangmun, MD of the Vegetable Team at Lotte Mart and Lotte Super, said, "As abnormal climate conditions make cultivation environments more challenging for farmers, we will expand the range of domestic agricultural varieties to help strengthen the competitiveness of the domestic seed industry and increase farmers' incomes. We will continue to focus on offering high-quality K-variety agricultural products that consumers can enjoy with confidence."

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