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South Korea: Diet application developed for sweet potatoes

In Korea, sweet potatoes are mainly cultivated in the southern lands of the country. The main production areas include Haenam, Iksan, Andong, and Yeoju. Among these, Haenam has been especially active in promoting the taste and quality of Korean sweet potatoes to the world. The export of sweet potatoes from the area to European markets, such as the UK and Netherlands, is on the rise.
 
Consistent efforts to control the quality of the product is the reason Haenam sweet potatoes were able to enter European markets, where the customers are notoriously fastidious in their shopping choices. The Haenam Sweet Potato Growers Association (HSPA), with support of the Haenam Agricultural Technology Center (HATC), is performing total quality control of sweet potatoes grown in the area. They check the vegetables throughout the cultivation process, prior to shipment, and conduct comparative analyses of geographical and environmental factors affecting the sweet potatoes. What’s more, the HATC autonomously established quality standards based on the preferences of overseas consumers and provides the farms with various follow-up services such as quality evaluation after the harvest and quality control planning for the following year.


 
The variety of sweet potatoes in the Haenam region are pumpkin sweet potato, chestnut sweet potato, and purple sweet potato. Pumpkin sweet potato “hobak-goguma” received its name for its inner color, which is very much like a pumpkin. Its size is smaller than that of other types of sweet potatoes, but the water and sugar contents are high, so it is easily digested. Chestnut sweet potato “bam-goguma” has a chestnut flavor to it. It is rich in vitamins A and E, and has a long storage period because it is less succulent compared to other varieties.

Purple sweet potato “jasaek-goguma” owns its color to the pigment called anthocyan. The vegetable is actively used as a natural coloring in processed foods - bread, snacks, ice cream, makgeolli (Korean rice wine), and many others.

Since 2006, HSPA has been cultivating premium sweet potatoes with the “sterile-culture” method. This helps the vegetables become more resistant to viruses such as black spots. Also, compared to the sweet potatoes grown with conventional methods, output per field has increased by over 30 percent. It goes without saying that the taste and shape of the sterile-cultured sweet potatoes are far superior.
 

 
Park Dong-ho, HSPA director for trade promotion explains, “Haenam sweet potatoes cultivated with sterile-culture took up 40 percent of total production areas of sweet potatoes last year. We plan to increase such areas to 80 percent this year and by 2013 all Haenam sweet potatoes will be grown with sterile-culture. We are moving step by step towards establishing the steady production system for high quality sweet potatoes. This way we can introduce premium Korean sweet potatoes to overseas consumers with confidence.” Haenam sweet potatoes are generally harvested from July until the end of November. The shipment continues until May of the following year. Harvested sweet potatoes are instantly moved to low-temperature storage in order to preserve the taste and quality of the vegetables.

Exports of Haenam sweet potatoes have been carried out since 2008. The Export Complex established last October ensures sufficient supply of the vegetables to Europe, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Moreover, from 2014, foreign consumers will have a chance to taste eco-friendly Haenam sweet potatoes. The construction of a production complex for the eco-friendly potatoes is in full swing now.
 
A diet application for smart phones, “A Ten Days Promise with Haenam Sweet Potato,” was recently developed and is receiving a lot of attention from smart-phone users.
 
Contact details:
Haenam Sweet Potato Grower Association
Tel +82 61 534 9860
Fax +82 61 534 9861
www.haenamgoguma.com 
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