South Korea's kimchi exports hit fresh high last year: Data

Seoul, Jan 12 South Korea's exports of kimchi increased 6.9 per cent from a year earlier to hit a record high in 2024, driven by growing global popularity of Korean cuisine, government data showed on Sunday.

Outbound shipments of kimchi, a traditional Korean side dish typically made from fermented cabbage, reached a fresh high of 47,100 tons, according to data compiled by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

The country had exported 44,000 tonnes of kimchi in 2023 and 41,100 tons in 2022, reports Yonhap news agency.

The value of kimchi exports also climbed to a new record high of US$163.6 million in 2024, up 5.2 per cent from the previous year.

"Kimchi exports showed stable growth last year thanks to rising popularity of kimchi overseas as one of the foods representing Korea, and a vegan and fermented food product, despite unfavourable circumstances, such as a disruption in cabbage supplies due to climate change and higher shipping costs," an official at the food ministry said.

South Korea exported kimchi to 95 nations last year, according to the data.

Japan was the biggest importer of kimchi, while the United States came in second and the Netherlands third.

Canada and Australia followed next at Nos. 4 and 5, with shipments to the two countries jumping 61.5 per cent and 37.2 per cent on-year, respectively.

Meanwhile, South Korea's exports of agricultural goods and related products grew 6.1 per cent from a year before to a record high in 2024 amid growing overseas demand for instant noodles and processed rice items, the agriculture ministry said.

Outbound shipments from the so-called K-Food Plus sector reached $13 billion last year, compared with $12.28 billion recorded in 2023, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

K-Food Plus encompasses a diverse range of food products and related items from fresh and processed goods to agricultural equipment and solutions.

By product, exports of instant noodles surged 31 per cent on-year to $1.24 billion and shipments of snacks jumped 17.4 per cent to $770.4 million.

—IANS

na/