[Report] Jeju Tangerines Ready for Full-Scale Shipment... "Slight Increase in Shipment and Lower Prices Compared to Last Year"

Heatwave and heavy rain delay citrus harvest season
Ordinance revised to increase shipment volume amid production decline
Jeju Province "Citrus prices expected to be slightly lower than last year"

APC conducts citrus sorting by sweetness and size
'2024 Jeju International Citrus Expo' held ahead of full-scale shipment

"Due to this year's heatwaves and other factors, the shipment period for gamgyul (Jeju mandarins) has been somewhat delayed, but the shipment volume is expected to increase slightly and prices are expected to be somewhat lower." (Kim Sang-yeop, Head of Jeju Gamgyul Distribution Division)

On the 14th, we visited the 'Namwon Gamgyul Hub Distribution Center' in Namwon-eup, Seogwipo, the largest gamgyul production area in Jeju. Upon entering the distribution center, the gamgyul delivered that day were undergoing the sorting process.

On the 14th, tangerine sorting work was underway at the Namwon Tangerine Hub Production and Distribution Center. (Photo by Joint Press Corps)

The center is equipped with a non-destructive sugar-acid measurement sorting line that automatically sorts gamgyul, a cold storage facility to maintain freshness, and a box-making room to produce boxes according to gamgyul specifications. The center ships high-quality gamgyul through the process from receipt to commercialization. First, after shipment consultations with farmers, sugar and acid content tests are conducted in the inspection room. The received gamgyul are sorted by farm, and the main sorting work begins. In the first sorting process, spoiled gamgyul are removed, followed by pre-treatment processes of washing and drying, and then a second visual sorting is performed. Afterward, the gamgyul are automatically sorted by sugar content, acidity, and weight on the non-destructive sugar-acid measurement sorting line.

The sorting line is equipped with 16 shape cameras and 8 non-destructive optical sensors. As the gamgyul pass through, the shape cameras measure the size and coloration, and the non-destructive optical sensors measure sugar content and acidity. Gamgyul sorted by sugar-acid content and weight are automatically packed into specially made gamgyul boxes according to size. At the Namwon Center, the fully automated sorting system sorts 15,000 tons annually and 100 tons daily.

On the 14th, tangerine sorting work was underway at the Namwon Tangerine Hub Production and Distribution Center. (Photo by Joint Press Corps)

However, on this day, about 56 tons were sorted. This is the result of a somewhat delayed shipment period due to weather changes such as heatwaves and heavy rain this summer. Hyun Jong-ho, head of the Namwon Nonghyup Distribution Business Office (Hub APC), explained, "Currently, the shipment of ultra-early gamgyul has ended, and early gamgyul are being shipped, but the volume is not yet as large as last year," adding, "The shipment period has been somewhat delayed due to heatwaves and heavy rain."

A Jeju official said, "The average temperature from July to September this year was 28 degrees Celsius, higher than last year's 25 degrees, and the number of days with heatwaves above 33 degrees increased significantly to 21.4 days compared to last year," adding, "Gamgyul grow actively in August and September, and the night temperature below 20 degrees causes yellow coloration, but due to abnormal weather, coloration has been delayed compared to before."

Accordingly, Jeju Province relaxed the coloration standards through an ordinance in October this year to increase shipment volume. As a result, the shipment volume of open-field gamgyul is expected to increase from 398,000 tons in 2023 to 408,000 tons this year. Kim said, "Despite the decrease in open-field gamgyul production, shipment volume is expected to slightly increase compared to last year due to the revision of the gamgyul ordinance," adding, "Prices are expected to be somewhat lower than last year due to poor coloration and external defects caused by frequent rain." According to Jeju Province, the average auction price for 2024 open-field gamgyul at the nine major wholesale markets is 9,748 KRW per 5 kg, down 2% from last year.

◆11th '2024 Jeju International Gamgyul Expo'... 100,000 Visitors from Across the Country= Jeju Province is holding the '2024 Jeju International Gamgyul Expo' from the 13th to the 19th of this month at the Seogwipo Agricultural Technology Center area, coinciding with the main shipment period of open-field gamgyul. Various events are being held, including an opening ceremony, buyer consultations, live commerce and planned sales exhibitions, product evaluations, and exhibitions of autonomous agricultural machinery and advanced agricultural materials.

On the 14th, Go Byeong-gi, Chairman of the Jeju International Citrus Expo Organizing Committee, is explaining the expo.

Ko Byung-ki, chairman of the Jeju International Gamgyul Expo Organizing Committee, said, "It is no exaggeration to say that gamgyul practically drives Jeju's domestic economy, making gamgyul very important in Jeju," adding, "We have been holding the expo annually for 11 years to promote Jeju gamgyul during the harvest season and link it with gamgyul exports and other activities."

He continued, "The gamgyul expo not only attracts tourists but also allows farmers to experience and check the agricultural machinery and materials on display," adding, "Centered on gamgyul, the expo has a significant impact on numerous companies in logistics, materials, fertilizers, and pesticides, with direct and indirect ripple effects expected to exceed 100 billion KRW annually."

◆Exploring Climate Change Response through Pilot Cultivation of Subtropical Crops such as Papaya and Dragon Fruit= Following the gamgyul expo and the Namwon Gamgyul APC, on the 15th, we visited the Rural Development Administration's Climate Change Response Agricultural Research Center. This center was renamed from the Warm-Region Agriculture Research Institute in 2015 to focus on creating new demand for subtropical crops such as papaya and dragon fruit and exploring responses to climate change.

At the research center, we were able to directly observe the growth of representative subtropical fruit crops such as dragon fruit and papaya. Han Hyun-hee, a researcher at the Climate Change Response Agricultural Research Center, emphasized, "As climate change is expected to reduce the cultivation areas of existing crops, new varieties and overcoming technologies are needed for existing crops to respond," adding, "In addition, research and expansion of cultivation technologies for subtropical crops suitable for subtropical climates, where cultivation areas are expected to expand, must be supported."

Papaya (left) and dragon fruit being pilot cultivated at the Institute of Agricultural Research for Climate Change Adaptation visited on the 15th.

Last year was remembered as a year of record-breaking heat in the history of Korean meteorological observations. Spring temperatures were the highest, and July 7 was recorded as the hottest day since global average temperature observations began in 1979. The heatwave worsened this year. Heatwave warnings were issued until mid-September, and the heat was so intense that Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving) was called 'Haseok (昰夕),' meaning a hot autumn. These changes have had a significant impact on agriculture. In particular, crops grown in open fields are more affected by climate change than those grown in facilities.

The import volume and cultivation area of subtropical crops in Korea have steadily increased. Mango imports were about 10,000 tons in 2014 but increased more than twofold to about 27,000 tons in 2023. By October 2024, 31,000 tons are expected to be imported, reflecting steady growth in domestic consumer demand. As of 2023, excluding figs, which have been traditionally cultivated domestically, newly introduced subtropical vegetables cover a total of 135.5 hectares, and subtropical fruit trees cover 221.1 hectares. While the cultivation area of vegetables decreased compared to 198.2 hectares in 2018, fruit tree cultivation increased 1.9 times from 117.2 hectares during the same period.

A research center official said, "Subtropical crop cultivation is likely to become an important pillar of domestic agriculture in the future," adding, "The center is conducting research to establish a system for monitoring and responding to pest and disease control strategies related to new crop introductions and cultivation, as well as changes in the agricultural environment due to climate change."

The Climate Change Response Agricultural Research Center has introduced 58 subtropical crops to select 17 promising crops suitable for domestic environments affected by climate change. The selected vegetables include bitter melon, turmeric, water spinach, yam bean, okra, chayote, artichoke, and long bean, while the fruit trees include mango, olive, passion fruit, papaya, dragon fruit, feijoa, avocado, lychee, and coffee. The center is selecting and distributing varieties suitable for domestic cultivation as the cultivation of these crops expands.