South Korea: Fresh Deciduous Fruit Annual

Korea’s fresh pear production is projected to rise by 10.2 percent to 202,000 metric tons (MT) in marketing year (MY) 2024/25, helped by favorable weather and lower incidences of diseases and pests compared to the previous year. This production level is close to the five-year average, with further yield recovery hampered by weather challenges (heat, tropical nights, etc.) that caused sunburn, cracking, and reduced fruit size. Price inflation remained high for fresh fruit through much of 2024, but has stabilized since the harvest of pears and other domestic fruit. Exports are set to expand by 33 percent, reaching 25,000 metric tons, primarily due to higher production levels. Production in MY 2023/24 has been revised down to 183,300 MT based on official data confirming the full extent of yield losses from adverse weather throughout 2023.