[Public Voices] Import Is Not the Solution to the Apple Crisis

Global Fruit Decline Due to Abnormal Climate
Stable Domestic Production Base Is the Solution

Moon Hanpil, Professor of Agricultural Economics, Chonnam National University.

The phrase "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" is becoming a thing of the past, as a new term, "applelation," has emerged, with apples appearing in the news daily. Due to adverse weather caused by abnormal climate conditions last year, a shortage of apples has persisted since the harvest season. If supply and demand conditions do not change significantly, the strong apple prices are expected to continue until green apples are shipped at the end of July. The author's mother, who underwent colorectal cancer surgery over 30 years ago and has always insisted that "an apple in the morning is gold," now consumes only half the amount of apples she used to, but she still refuses to give up buying even imperfect apples. These days, it is clear that the demand for apples among infants, women, and middle-aged people is distinctly different in intensity compared to other agricultural products.

In this situation, voices calling for importing apples from overseas to resolve the supply instability are growing louder. Consumers seem to have formed the expectation that importing apples immediately would allow them to enjoy cheaper imported apples. However, the surge in fruit prices is not a problem unique to our country. It has been identified that abnormal climate conditions have reduced major fruit production worldwide. In California, USA, influenced by El Ni?o, orange production decreased by 10-15% compared to the previous year, and frequent rainfall has negatively affected the harvests of bananas and grapes in the Philippines and Chile, making conditions unlike usual years.

Should the apple market now be opened? If the market is opened, it might be possible to consume apples at a lower price in the short term. However, what we should focus on more importantly is whether we can maintain a stable domestic production base. If the domestic production base collapses, apple supply will depend on the production conditions of exporting countries, and ultimately, even if prices rise, consumers may lose alternative options. Although apple production dropped sharply by 30.3% to 390,000 tons last year compared to the previous year, 2022?the year immediately before?recorded production 15% higher than the average, and on average, apple production exceeds demand. Responding to a temporary price increase by opening the market seems like a premature decision.

Let us scientifically approach the reasons why apples, pears, peaches, and other fruits are not imported. For agricultural products produced abroad to be imported into the country, they must undergo a stringent eight-step import risk analysis procedure under the Plant Quarantine Act. This is to prevent the introduction of foreign pests and diseases that could disrupt the domestic ecosystem. Considering the rapid spread of pine wilt disease in the 2000s and the outbreak of fire blight in domestic orchards starting in 2015, if foreign pests and diseases enter through imported apples, they could cause continuous damage to the entire domestic fruit farming community. The 30 or so agricultural products currently imported, including oranges, grapes, bananas, and mangoes, have all passed through the eight-step import risk analysis procedure.

Calling for immediate apple imports is essentially a proposal to abandon the domestic native fruit production base that has been protected through strict quarantine measures. However, it is true that the recent high apple prices have become a burden for consumers. So, how should this problem be solved? The author proposes establishing a stable domestic production base that can proactively respond to the climate crisis as the solution. The cases of major advanced fruit-producing countries that have already transitioned to multi-axis orchards to reduce costs and improve productivity offer significant lessons for us.

Building a stable fruit production base requires long-term time and effort. As the climate crisis becomes a reality, both producers and consumers need to make small concessions to create sustainable and mutually beneficial alternatives, requiring patience and support. In a situation where the excitement over applelation has somewhat calmed, the author believes that consumers who love apples will support choices that protect the long-term rights and interests of domestic consumers, enhance the competitiveness of the domestic fruit industry, and cherish the infinite potential and opportunities of domestically produced apples that can captivate the global palate in the face of climate change.

Moon Hanpil, Professor, Department of Agricultural Economics, Chonnam National University