Sancheong-gun Wins Gyeongnam Agricultural and Marine Products Export Tower Despite COVID-19 Challenges

Last Year’s Performance of $7.724 Million... 16% Increase from Previous Year
Diversification into Sericulture and Other Items... Expansion of Sales Channels to the U.S. and Vietnam

Sancheong Sericulture Products Exported to the U.S.
2.6 Tons Including Hongjam Exported as a Pilot Shipment

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Soon-kyung] Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Sancheong-gun in Gyeongnam recorded excellent export performance and was selected as an outstanding institution for agricultural and marine product exports in Gyeongnam Province in 2021.

Sancheong-gun announced on the 8th that it was selected as an excellent city/county in the agricultural product export category in the 2021 Gyeongnam Province agricultural and marine product export policy evaluation and received a commendation award.

Last year, the county recorded export performance worth $7,724,000. This is a 16% increase compared to 2019.

To overcome the difficult external environment for agricultural product exports due to COVID-19 and other factors, the county actively operated the ‘Sancheong-gun Export Association.’

It participated in export consultation meetings inviting overseas buyers hosted by Gyeongnam Province and held an online promotional event for the U.S. market to pioneer new overseas markets, achieving results.

Along with various export support projects such as logistics, packaging, and sorting cost support, the county is also promoting the discovery and cultivation of new export items to expand exports.

As a result, in October last year, it pioneered new sales channels with pilot exports of sericulture products such as silkworm pupae and mulberry juice to the U.S., exports of 44 items including Geum Seohan Bangchon rice and safflower seed pills to the U.S. in July, and exports of the anti-aging infusion liquor kit ‘Wolhwajuhyang’ to Singapore.

Recently, Sancheong strawberries, boasting the highest quality in Korea, have been exported to North American markets including the U.S. and Canada, as well as Southeast Asian markets such as Vietnam, Taiwan, and Cambodia.

Sancheong-gun plans to continue activities to pioneer new overseas markets by holding an online export consultation meeting inviting overseas buyers from the U.S., Japan, and other countries in April.

A county official said, “The increase in exports of our county’s agricultural specialties is thanks to the farmers who work hard to produce premium agricultural products. Especially recently, the scope has expanded from simple agricultural products to competitive products utilizing specialties, so the outlook is promising. We will continue to do our best to promote Sancheong agricultural specialties in overseas markets by implementing various export policy projects such as support programs for export companies at different capability stages.”