South Koreans Develop a Taste for Chilean Fruit

Chile has shipped over 17,000 tonnes of fresh fruit to South Korea in the 2024/25 season, a nearly 57% increase compared to the same period last year. According to Miguel Canala-Echeverría, general manager of Frutas de Chile, South Korea represents a promising market within Asia for Chile's fruit export sector. "As of January, South Korea ranks as the second largest destination in Asia for our fruit exports, and ninth globally," he stated. South Korea's high per capita fruit consumption of 55kg makes it an attractive market for global export. Chile is currently in negotiations to update its Free Trade Agreement with South Korea, which would further benefit agricultural exports by reducing tariffs on certain fruits. Although fruit consumption has declined in recent years, South Korea remains a significant consumer of fresh fruit compared to other countries, especially with a young population often adopting Western consumption habits.