'Nonsan Aims for Global Hub Status with World's First Strawberry Industry Expo: K-Strawberry Goes Global'

Nonsan, the Capital of Strawberries, Embarks on a Bold Global Challenge

This year's strawberry festival scene / Nonsan City Hall

Nonsan in South Chungcheong Province, which accounts for 17.8% of the nation's strawberry production and has firmly established itself as the 'home of strawberries', is set to accelerate the global expansion of K-strawberries through the world's first 'Strawberry Industry Expo' in 2027.

To attract the expo, Nonsan City has been preparing a master plan, conducting feasibility studies, and building a global network. In March this year, it achieved the milestone of being officially selected as a subject for international event review by the Ministry of Economy and Finance. The city is awaiting final approval in July and has begun full-scale preparations for a successful event.

Nonsan boasts world-class strawberry quality by combining smart farm technology and eco-friendly farming methods with its natural advantages of fertile soil, clean water, and abundant sunlight.

The city has been continuously developing new varieties such as the premium 'Kingsberry', Highberry, and Vitaberry, in addition to the leading domestic variety 'Seolhyang', further solidifying its position as a key export item.

Strawberry Festival Scene This Year / Nonsan City Hall

Last year, the Nonsan Strawberry Festival relocated to the Citizen Family Park and achieved great success, attracting 530,000 visitors, selling 141 tons of strawberries, and recording sales of 1.37 billion KRW, thanks to the launch of unique products in collaboration with companies such as Sungsimdang, CJ CheilJedang, and Nongshim, as well as family-friendly content.

Building on this success, Nonsan City aims to take the strawberry industry to the next level through the '2027 Nonsan World Strawberry Industry Expo'.

The potential of the global market has already been confirmed by export contracts signed at overseas exhibitions held in Bangkok, Thailand and Jakarta, Indonesia.

The annual production value of the strawberry industry reaches a staggering 1.4711 trillion KRW (as of 2022). The global fresh strawberry market is expected to reach approximately 320 billion USD by 2031.

In line with this, Nonsan City is accelerating the overseas expansion and high value-added industrialization of the strawberry processing and dessert industry, with the expo at its center.

Mayor Baek Seonghyeon stated, "Through the Nonsan World Strawberry Industry Expo, we will globalize Nonsan strawberries and leap forward as the hub of the world's strawberry industry, beyond just Korea."