Jeju tangerines, a beloved winter snack that used to "stain hands yellow," face an unprecedented crisis. Because tariffs were eliminated under the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement (FTA), U.S. mandarins have begun pouring in duty-free. Jeju farmers and authorities have declared a frontal push under the banner of "upgrading quality." Mandarins are easy to peel and their taste is similar to tangerines.
◇The onslaught of U.S. "duty-free mandarins"… a direct hit to late-maturing citrus growers
Starting this year, the import tariff on U.S. mandarins has been adjusted to 0%, deepening worries for Jeju farmers. The tariff, which stood at 144% when the Korea-U.S. FTA took effect in 2012, was gradually lowered each year and has now disappeared entirely.
Concerns have grown especially among farms that cultivate late-maturing citrus (mangamnyu), such as cheonhyehyang, hallabong and redhyang. They concentrate shipments during the gap between winter open-field tangerines and summer greenhouse tangerines, which overlaps with the period when importers bring in mandarins.
Jeju Province and farmers have begun drawing up crisis countermeasures. Fortunately, farmers are signaling they will overcome the crisis by improving quality.
The Jeju Agricultural Products Supply Management Committee "Citrus Committee" recently held a press conference and said it would strengthen citrus quality by shipping fully ripened fruit. It also decided to make an emergency purchase of 10,000 tons of late-maturing citrus to prevent a decline in farm revenue due to a temporary price drop. This amounts to 10% of total late-maturing citrus production.
◇Jeju's treasure "tangerines," carried on since the Three Kingdoms era
Jeju tangerines have a long history. Historical records include entries from the Tamna Kingdom during the Three Kingdoms era, the Goryeosa, the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, and even the 1702 "Tamna Sunryeokdo," which contain accounts of citrus cultivation and tribute.
According to the Goryeosa, there is a record that Tamna presented tribute during Baekje King Munmu's reign in 476. There is also a record that Tamna offered tribute in 925 under Goryeo Taejo, which is presumed to have included tangerines. The Annals of King Taejong note that in 1412, hundreds of citrus trees from Jeju were transplanted to coastal areas of Jeolla Province.
Jeju has cultivated tangerines for a long time largely due to its climate. Jeju has a warm oceanic climate with abundant sunshine. Even in winter, average temperatures rarely fall below 0 degrees, resulting in little cold-weather damage. The average temperature at which tangerines grow well (55–59 degrees) aligns perfectly with Jeju's annual average temperature (about 59 degrees).
In addition, more than 2,000 hours of annual sunshine helps increase sugar content. Annual precipitation is about 1,800 mm, providing ample moisture. The soil is volcanic ash with good drainage.
◇The "Onju milgam" brought by a French priest… Jeju becomes an island of citrus
A figure inseparable from the history of Jeju tangerines is Father Émile Taquet. A priest with the Paris Foreign Missions Society, Taquet was dispatched to Joseon in 1898 and served at Hanon Church in Seogwipo, Jeju. He taught modern studies in the Jeju region and helped introduce new crops.
A prime example is "Onju milgam." The seedless "Onju milgam" is believed to have originated in Zhejiang, China. Father Taquet received 14 saplings of Onju milgam from a priest working in Japan and planted them at Myeonhyeong's House of the Korean Martyrs of the Sacred Heart Priests in Seogwipo.
This Onju milgam became the main source of income for Jeju farmers. It was even nicknamed the "college tree," as people said they sent their children to college with citrus picked from the trees.
Juicy and sweet-and-sour Jeju tangerines offer a taste unmatched by other fruit. They are also rich in vitamin C, helping prevent colds in winter.
Oh Young-hun, the Jeju governor, said at a recent meeting with farmers about mandarin imports, "The duty-free import of U.S. mandarins was anticipated as a result of the FTA negotiations," and emphasized, "If we can produce Jeju late-maturing citrus at world-class quality and establish a system to deliver it reliably to consumers, there will be no major problem no matter what imported agricultural products enter."