Urgent Overseas Promotion of Agricultural Products Due to COVID-19... Ginseng and Dairy Exports to China Soar

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyunjung] The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT) conducted a total of 60 emergency promotional events targeting the Greater China region to minimize the damage to agricultural food exporters caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, exports of representative health functional foods such as ginseng and dairy products showed a significant increase.

According to aT on the 1st, during the fourth week of February when COVID-19 spread, exports of ginseng and dairy products to China decreased by 27.3% and 7.7% respectively compared to the previous year. However, in the fourth week of last month, exports increased by 20.8% and 16% year-on-year.

Short shelf-life items such as kimchi and dairy products, which are key export items to the Greater China region, were promoted urgently in collaboration with large retail stores. Meanwhile, ginseng products and infant foods were promoted through special exhibitions targeting health specialty department stores and infant specialty stores, demonstrating that swift responses were effective.

One of the major achievements of this emergency promotional event was that Korean dairy products, specifically fresh milk, were newly introduced at the Shanghai store of '7-Fresh,' an O2O fresh food mart under JD.com, which ranks second in China's e-commerce market share. Within a month, sales exceeded $280,000.

Building on this success, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and aT plan to vigorously promote Korean agricultural food products through Hema Fresh and JD.com, the top two online channels in China, starting in April.

Additionally, in line with the rapidly spreading global untact (contactless) lifestyle, promotional videos for Korean foods that boost immunity, such as kimchi and ginseng, will be produced. Online marketing will also be strengthened through live broadcasts and social media within China.

Shin Hyungon, Director of Food Export at aT, stated, "Due to COVID-19, the export environment for agricultural food products is unfavorable, causing difficulties for producers and exporters. We will strive to expand agricultural food exports by discovering various projects targeting influential online channels that are rapidly changing the global consumer market landscape."