Online Sales Performance of Goheung-grown Fresh Onions

Sold 150 Tons Online with Geogeumdo Nonghyup and Kakao Makers

[Goheung=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Shim Jeong-woo] Goheung-gun, Jeollanam-do announced that in response to sluggish onion consumption and price collapse due to the impact of COVID-19, it has sold 150 tons of Goheung fresh onions to large distribution chains and online shopping malls in cooperation with Geogeumdo Nonghyup (President Chu Buhaeng) since March.

This year, the cultivation area of Goheung onions is 451 hectares, with early varieties covering 408 hectares, accounting for 13.5% of the national production and 22% of Jeollanam-do's production.

Normally, more than 90% of transactions in production areas should be completed during the peak shipping season of onions in March to April, but due to sluggish consumption and price collapse caused by COVID-19, farmers had to endure great difficulties, including discarding 40 hectares, which is 10% of the early onion cultivation area, in the production area.

Accordingly, since March, Goheung-gun has aggressively promoted marketing to stabilize fresh onion prices and expand sales by participating in Daehyang Distribution, Seoul Lotte Department Store, LG HelloVision Home Shopping, and the online sales channel Kakao Makers’ ‘Jegabeochi Project,’ achieving sales of 150 tons of Goheung fresh onions as of April 21.

This achievement can be attributed to Goheung-gun’s analysis of recent consumer trends and patterns and active response through sales agreements with large distribution chains, operation of TV home shopping and live commerce, and management of the online shopping mall ‘Goheung Mall.’

President Chu Buhaeng said, “Due to sluggish onion consumption, even wholesale markets requested to refrain from bringing in onions, and farmers were in a regrettable situation where they could not find shipping destinations. I am very grateful that through cooperation with the county, we achieved sales of 150 tons by entering the online market and home shopping.” He added, “We will continue to try changes in the distribution environment according to the diversification of consumer markets and do our best to sell agricultural products and stabilize prices.”

A county official said, “We feel rewarded that this sales result has helped farmers even a little. Through sales agreements for agricultural and marine specialty products in the large distribution network and online market that we have been promoting, we will do our best to ensure that not only Goheung fresh onions but also high-quality and tasty Goheung agricultural and marine specialty products are sold extensively.”

Goheung=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Shim Jeong-woo sevenshim@asiae.co.kr