Sancheong Gotgam 'Gojongsi' Stands Tall as Korea's Representative Fruit for 7 Consecutive Years

Ministry of Agriculture and Food, etc., Awarded Top Prize in Forestry and Fruit Tree Sector Evaluation

Drying site of Sancheong Gotgam made from dried persimmons in Sancheong, Gyeongnam.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Soon-kyung] ‘Sancheong Go Jongsil (astringent persimmon)’, the senior dried persimmon of Jirisan Sancheong, was selected as Korea’s representative fruit for the seventh consecutive year and received the highest award in the forest fruit sector.

Also, ‘Sancheong Walnuts’ were selected as Korea’s representative fruit for the first time.

On the 4th, Sancheong-gun, Gyeongnam announced that at the ‘2022 Korea Representative Fruit Selection Contest’ held at Daegu EXCO, Go Jongsil submitted by Seong Hyun-gi (Danseong-myeon) and walnuts submitted by Min Byung-gi (Obu-myeon) won the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Award (Grand Prize).

Also, Go Jong-im (Sicheon-myeon), who submitted Go Jongsil, won the Excellence Award, the Forest Service Director’s Award.

Thus, Sancheong Go Jongsil proved that Sancheong forest products are of the highest quality nationwide by being selected as a representative fruit for seven consecutive years in government evaluations.

This year, Sancheong Go Jongsil had an unprecedented bumper harvest thanks to the natural environment of Jirisan and other areas and the accumulated cultivation techniques.

According to Soil and Agricultural Environment Information Portal “Huktoram” provided by the Rural Development Administration, Sancheong-gun consists of 98.2% sandy loam, loam, and silty loam, making it an optimal cultivation site for Go Jongsil.

In particular, Sancheong dried persimmons are known as the best winter snack because their vitamin C content is 2 to 20 times higher than that of ordinary dried persimmons due to the development of processing technology that fully utilizes the natural conditions of Jirisan.

Sancheong walnuts are also grown around Hwangmaesan, where the altitude, wind, humidity are moderate, and the temperature difference between day and night is large, resulting in an excellent nutty flavor.

Also, by completing cultivation technology training every year, production capacity is strengthened, and by developing proprietary nutrients, an environment suitable for walnut cultivation is created, producing excellent walnuts.

Sancheong-gun plans to expand online and offline specialized production education for forest product farmers on the occasion of this representative fruit selection.

The Sancheong-gun Forestry Cooperative also plans to put more effort into producing high-quality forest products by providing on-site guidance and supplying eco-friendly organic compost.

A county official said, “Sancheong Go Jongsil, Korea’s top senior dried persimmon, and Sancheong walnuts, which have an excellent nutty flavor, boast the best quality thanks to Sancheong’s clear and cold weather, low humidity, and other natural conditions.” He added, “We ask for much interest in the premium Sancheong dried persimmons and the walnuts with excellent nutty flavor, which are about to be shipped in earnest starting with the first sale ceremony on the 9th.”

The Korea Representative Fruit Selection Contest, now in its 12th year, is an awards event hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and organized by the Korea Forest Service and the Korea Fruit Farmers Association Federation.