South Korea's imports of fresh fruits reached a record high last year, driven by poor harvests attributed to climate change and rising consumer demand, The Korea Times reported.

In 2024, the country imported $1.45 billion worth of fresh fruits covering 12 different varieties. This represented a 20% increase from the previous year. This figure marks the highest recorded amount, surpassing the previous record of $1.33 billion set in 2018.

The imported fruits include bananas, mangoes, pineapples, oranges, cherries, and kiwis. The import surge is largely due to a domestic supply shortage resulting from unfavorable weather conditions, leading to elevated fruit prices.

The South Korean government has also reduced tariffs on fruit imports to address rising demand and combat inflation.

“A further increase in fruit imports is anticipated, as domestic fruit production is expected to decline in the long run due to adverse weather conditions and a continuous decrease in cultivation area,” stated a representative from the Korea Rural Economic Institute (KREI).

In its latest report, KREI projected that total fruit imports, including frozen varieties, will rise by 6.8 percent year-on-year, reaching 817,000 tons this year.

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