Daegu Dalseong County's "Hwawon Minari" Tops the Charts: 31 Tons Sold at Seoul Garak Market in Three Months

Daegu Dalseong County (Governor Choi Jae-hoon)'s specialty product, "Hwawon Cham Minari," has achieved remarkable results at Garak Market in Seoul, with a cumulative sales volume of 31.8 tons and a transaction amount of approximately 278 million won, as of April 26.

Daegu Dalseong County reported that Hwawon Minari, which made its first appearance at Garak Market on January 4, completed its three-month campaign in the Seoul metropolitan area with the final shipment on April 8. In particular, starting from March 22, the county responded to explosive local demand by increasing daily transport vehicles from 1 ton to 2.5 tons, far surpassing initial expectations and achieving rapid early success.

Daegu Dalseong Hwawon Minari shipped to Seoul Garak Market

This success was driven by the county’s swift and proactive administrative strategies. In January 2025, the county established a strong policy to eradicate illegal business activities within Minari greenhouses, while also adopting a fundamental approach of "distribution normalization" to minimize the impact on farmers. Rather than focusing solely on crackdowns, the administration prioritized building new distribution networks that would allow farmers to become self-sufficient.

Moreover, to ensure a smooth transition in market development, the county urgently allocated a budget of 40 million won for "Minari Consumption Promotion Sales Support (Integrated Logistics Costs)" to ease farmers’ transportation burdens, serving as a strategic catalyst. This determined administrative stance became a strong driving force for farmers to take on the challenge of entering new markets.

The “sacrificial decisions” made by the farmers also played a significant role. The farmers’ cooperative group supplied produce to Garak Market every day except on market holidays (Saturdays), prioritizing the establishment of long-term trust with Garak Market over immediate profits that could be gained from existing markets. As a result, they prioritized the stable development of new sales channels over short-term gains.

There was also an added bonus of increased brand awareness. Consumers in Seoul praised the freshness of Minari, noting that it was impressive to be able to enjoy it raw, whereas it was usually consumed cooked. Inquiries from people originally from the region who wanted to order directly from the source also poured in.

Choi Jae-hoon, Governor of Dalseong County, stated, “This early success, which surpassed expectations, is the result of communication and cooperation between the private and public sectors. It is especially meaningful because we have enhanced the value of the regional brand through essential investments aimed at securing distribution channels, rather than one-off support.” He added, “Based on this success, we will focus our administrative efforts on establishing a stable distribution system that ensures our agricultural products receive fair prices.”

Building on this success, Daegu Dalseong County plans to accelerate the advancement of agricultural distribution by seeking to re-enter Garak Market starting in early December.

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