"Price Drop Due to Increased Production"
Pointed Out at Quality Improvement Forum
[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Koo Dae-seon] Yeongcheon City (Mayor Choi Ki-moon) held a “Discussion Forum for Improving the Quality of Shine Muscat” on the 20th at the Agricultural Technology Center with Shine Muscat producers, distribution workers, external experts, and consumer groups.
The Shine Muscat, once called the “luxury grape,” is facing difficulties as market prices are falling due to a recent surge in production and a decline in quality.
Accordingly, Yeongcheon City has taken measures to improve Shine Muscat quality to restore consumer trust and ensure stable income for farmers.
At the forum, various measures were proposed for the future cultivation prospects of Shine Muscat, overseas market development through exports, and high-quality production.
In particular, the main cause of quality deterioration was identified as large cluster size and excessive fruit setting. It was suggested that cultivating clusters weighing 500?700g and producing about 5 tons per 2000㎡ (600 pyeong) would improve quality.
Following this, Hwang Ui-chang, representative of the Korea Grape Export Association, who presented “Current Status and Prospects of Shine Muscat Exports,” mentioned that due to the current quality decline of Shine Muscat, there is actually a shortage of export-grade grapes. He proposed that controlling fruit set and timely harvesting from the production stage are crucial to producing high-quality Shine Muscat.
Participants in the forum agreed that the recent sharp price drop is mainly due to increased production from expanded cultivation areas and quality deterioration caused by early shipment.
A city official stated that to cultivate high-quality grapes, education for new farmers will be strengthened and shifted to field-centered training. Along with the agricultural wholesale market, efforts will be made through publicity to eradicate early shipments and prevent low-quality grapes from circulating.
Furthermore, the forum shared the opinion that farmers’ self-reflection on quality improvement efforts is necessary rather than simply increasing harvest volume.
Mayor Choi Ki-moon of Yeongcheon City said, “It is true that the grape industry has somewhat stagnated due to the recent surge in Shine Muscat production and quality decline, which has lowered consumer trust, but I urge all stakeholders to unite and turn this crisis into a new opportunity for development.”
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