The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs released five strategies this year to achieve $16 billion (about 21.8 trillion won) in exports for "K-food+."
On the day, the agriculture ministry held the "3rd public-private joint K-food+ export task force" meeting at the Korea Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, and announced an all-out export strategy for the second half. "K-food+" is a concept that includes K-food, agricultural machinery, animal medicines, pet food, and smart farms. As of the end of July, "K-food+" exports totaled $8.25 billion, marking a record high.
The strategies released by the agriculture ministry fall into five broad categories: ▲ all-out cultivation of flagship strategic items ▲ targeted penetration of key, emerging, and promising markets ▲ an all-out push for promotions through global distribution networks ▲ tailored, on-site, pinpoint support for corporations ▲ preemptive response to non-tariff barriers.
Specifically, the agriculture ministry will preemptively secure grape volumes and aims to achieve $100 million in exports with grapes alone. In November, which includes Kimchi Day, it plans to hold kimchi festivals in the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Vietnam to broaden the consumer base. It will expand supplies of ramen and sauces to major U.S. retail channels such as H.E.B, Kroger, and Target, and hold promotional events with Costco. At the same time, it will form a dedicated response team to monitor regulatory trends in major export destinations.
Minister Song Mi-ryung of the agriculture ministry said, "The second half is when shipments of fresh produce go into full swing and when global consumption expands sharply with Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and more," adding, "This is the critical watershed that will determine this year's export performance."