Minister Song Mi-ryeong of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said, "The U.S. government has not officially mentioned tariffs or import restrictions regarding Korean agriculture," and added, "Nevertheless, we are monitoring the situation from various angles and responding accordingly."
Minister Song said during a press briefing held in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, on the 18th, "Trade issues are frequently raised in the U.S., but to date, the U.S. government has not directly mentioned tariffs or non-tariff barriers related to Korean agriculture."
She continued, "The content included in reports such as the National Trade Estimate (NTE) released by the U.S. summarizes issues raised by industry stakeholders," and explained, "Separately, it has not been confirmed that the U.S. is specifically targeting Korea for any issues."
However, industry insiders point out that there is a possibility of increased demands for imports of certain agricultural products, including 30-month-old cattle and apples, from the U.S. In response, Minister Song stated, "The government is preparing various scenarios and is closely monitoring the situation."
Regarding recent fluctuations in vegetable prices, Minister Song noted, "The currently problematic items are napa cabbage, radish, cabbage, carrots, and onions," and added, "The government is closely examining the supply and demand situation and responding accordingly."
He said, "Since the storage amount of napa cabbage is greater than expected, we should be able to maintain supplies until the end of April," and noted, "Currently, distributors are also releasing held inventory into the market, leading to price stabilization."
On the other hand, Minister Song explained, "Radishes and carrots are in short supply due to significant temperature fluctuations in Jeju Island that have adversely affected yields." He added, "Radishes have not grown properly, leading to a decrease in shipment volumes, but if the weather stabilizes in the next 1 to 2 weeks, there is a possibility of overcoming the supply shortage."
Minister Song continued, "We are encouraging consumers to choose alternative items such as spring greens or young radish," and added, "We are also considering overseas supply options using allocated tariffs."
Amid heavy snowfall and dropping temperatures nationwide, concerns about crop damage due to cold damage have been raised. Minister Song stated, "Since January of last year, we have been operating a growth management consultation body to monitor the cold damage of major fruits such as apples," and added, "To date, it is not yet a stage where we need to worry about cold damage to fruit trees."
He said, "Fruit cold damage usually occurs in April when temperatures drop below 0 degrees after flower buds have formed, but that is not the case right now."
Regarding the prevention measures for foot-and-mouth disease, Minister Song stated, "Early response is the most important part," and emphasized that "the speed of vaccination is a key variable in determining the spread of the disease."
This outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease is the first in 1 year and 10 months since May 2023. It was first detected in the Jeonnam area, which is notable because it has many Hanwoo farms and has not experienced foot-and-mouth disease for the past 20 years, thus drawing attention from quarantine authorities. Additionally, on the 15th, there was an additional case reported in Muan, bringing the total number of confirmed foot-and-mouth disease cases to 8.
Minister Song indicated, "We have completed culling at the outbreak's epicenter and are quickly proceeding with vaccinations," and noted, "Analyzing the serum has confirmed that the type can be defended using the vaccines we possess in Korea."
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs plans to complete vaccination of all livestock including cattle, pigs, and goats in the Jeonnam area by the end of this week. Nationwide, the goal is to complete vaccinations within two weeks. As it takes about a week for antibodies to form after vaccination, Minister Song stated, "There may be some sporadic additional cases in the Jeonnam area over the next week, but we do not expect it to lead to serious outbreaks."
The government is also making new attempts in the Hanwoo industry. Minister Song said, "We plan to conduct a pilot sale of short-term fattened Hanwoo at Hanaro Mart from March to May," and added, "So far, consumer reactions have been positive."
Short-term fattened Hanwoo is characterized by being raised for a shorter period than regular Hanwoo. Generally, to maximize the marbling of Hanwoo, it requires a long feeding period, but with short-term fattened Hanwoo, they are only fattened for 24 to 26 months before being brought to market.
Minister Song explained, "This method has the advantage of reducing feed costs for farmers," adding, "There may be concerns that the flavor could differ due to less marbling, but there have been cases in the past where high-quality Hanwoo was produced using the 24 to 26-month raising method in the Gochang region."
The government is considering implementing a differentiated grading system for Hanwoo production of this method to further promote it, distinct from the existing two-plus (++) grade. Minister Song remarked, "This will provide consumers with an opportunity to experience various types of Hanwoo," adding, "Short-term fattened Hanwoo may be more suitable for steak purposes."