On the afternoon of the 12th, at the Korea pavilion of the "2025 SIAL InterFOOD" held in Jakarta, Indonesia. When Koodi, a small and midsize exporter of Korean agricultural products, put out a pack of strawberries for tasting, a dozen or so people quickly gathered. An Indonesian named Rana, 26, said, "Indonesian strawberries are strongly sour, but Korean strawberries are sweet and refreshing as if they had honey added."
On this day, Indonesian fresh food importer Weis Trading signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Koodi to import $2 million (2.9 billion won) worth of Korean strawberries, grapes, and pears. A Weis Trading employee said, "The popularity of Korean strawberries is increasing every year, so we definitely want to import them this winter."
Korean strawberries, with their rich sweetness and soft texture, have captivated Indonesian palates. Korean strawberries are pricier than those from Indonesia and China and are classified as premium fruit. Even so, demand for Korean strawberries is high, sending last year's export value to Indonesia ($4,052,300) to five times the 2019 level. Seventy percent of the strawberries Indonesia imported from overseas last year were from Korea.
◇ Korean strawberries sell well even though they are more expensive than Indonesian and Chinese ones... "The taste is different"
According to Lotte Mart's Indonesia branch, in January this year the price of Korean strawberries was 2,520 won per 100 grams, higher than Indonesian (1,420 won) and Chinese (2,420 won). Even so, strawberries are among the Korean products Indonesians buy most at Lotte Mart, along with ramen and gim (seaweed).
Indonesian consumers cite higher sugar content, a rich aroma, and a soft texture—different from Indonesian strawberries—as reasons they seek out Korean strawberries. In Indonesia, strawberries were long regarded as a "sour, unappetizing fruit grown in highlands," and thus were unpopular.
Local distributors also positively assess that Korean strawberries maintain consistent sweetness and quality compared with products from other countries. Ridwan Nggasinur, head of PT Buah Lestari, the company that imports the most Korean strawberries in Indonesia, said, "With U.S. and Australian strawberries, there are cases where they have suffered pest damage or arrived spoiled, but Korean strawberries have consistent sweetness and quality," adding, "That's why they have become a steady seller despite the high price."
Thanks to this popularity, distributors and importers are said to compete at year-end to secure import volumes of Korean strawberries first. Ridwan said, "As soon as it's November, requests from distributors for Korean strawberries pour in."
◇ Government backs with new variety development and transport technology research... China's pursuit is a variable
Korean strawberries rose to their current popularity thanks to the government's steady efforts to develop varieties. The Rural Development Administration and provincial agricultural research and extension services have developed a range of domestic strawberry varieties since 2005, including Seolhyang, Maehyang, Geumsil, and Kingsberry. The government has also researched transport technologies to ensure strawberries arrive fresh in export destinations.
One threat to Korean strawberries is that China is seeking to expand strawberry exports to Indonesia by leveraging lower prices. Indonesia is also increasing supplies of strawberries grown in local smart farms. Regarding this, Lee Seung-hun, head of the Jakarta office of the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT), said, "For fresh food, it takes considerable time to catch up in quality," adding, "Korea is steadily developing new strawberry varieties such as Vitaberry and Snowberry, so there should be no major concern."
☞ Joint project: Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs · Korea Rural Economic Institute (KREI) · ChosunBiz