After nearly a decade of negotiations, South Korea and Brazil have reached an agreement allowing Korean strawberries to be shipped to the South American market.

On Feb. 26, South Korea’s Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency signed an agreement with its Brazilian counterpart, officially granting import approval for the fruit.

This makes Brazil the first Latin American country to import Korean strawberries.

Growers in South Korea can now export their fruit after registering their growing and packing facilities with the quarantine agency and undergoing pest control procedures.

According to South Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, as reported in various local media, strawberries are among the country's top 10 fresh agricultural exports. Officials hope this milestone will help further open global markets for Korean strawberries.

Currently, South Korea exports about 4,000 tons of strawberries per year to Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, and other countries. In these markets, varieties developed in South Korea, such as Seolhyang and Jukhyang, are particularly popular.

“This negotiation is significant because it marks the first time Korean strawberries will be exported to a Latin American country,” said Kim Jung-hee, head of the Quarantine Division of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs.

“We hope this will serve as a gateway to the broader Latin American market, which has a population of 600 million,” he added.

The tariff rate for exporting strawberries to Brazil will be 9%, significantly lower than the 45% imposed on strawberries imported into South Korea.