The growing number of agricultural products for export from Korea has been increasing and the "chamoe melon" is one of the agricultural products where demand among Japanese consumers is increasing.
Seongju, Gyeongsangbukdo is the main growing region of chamoe melon wherein 70% of the production is being harvested. The estimated annual production of Seongju chamoe melon is 134,500 tons worth KRW 350 billion in sales (USD$ 296,595,034).
Last year, the total production was 135,000 tons from the 4,600 chamoe melon farms out of 8,900 farms from the Seongju province. This proved that the county is the leading producer and likes to maintain the title as the No.1 producer of chamoe melon.
There are several cooperatives involved in the chamoe melon industry and one of them is the Seongju Farming Cooperatives Joint Business Co. It has become one of the top suppliers of chamoe melon and is continuously working on in introducing and promoting the product. The company ensures everything is tiptop shape from cultivation, quality to packaging.
Furthermore, the NH Trading, a Korean export company that received full investment from the National Agricutural Cooperative Federation (NACF) in 1990, exports chamoe melon to 52 different stores in Japan under the Hanama Distribution.
Part of the promotion of NH Trading is to add few pieces of chamoe melon to the boxes where the normal weight is only 10 kg.
According to Mr. Lee Sung Hae, CEO of the Seongju Farming Cooperatives´ Joint Business Co., "We will try to expand the export route to other markets such as Hongkong, utilizing what we´ve learned in exporting to Japan."
The chamoe melon has been growing in Seongju province for almost 50 years where there is favorable weather and blessed with rich and fruitful soil.
Seongju Farmers believe that even if other provinces will grow chamoe melon using the same seed and cultivation technique, nothing can equal the chamoe melon from their province.
The farmers said that with the brix level alone, Seongju chamoe melon will surely stands out and you will easily recognize the melon coming from their province.
source: Korea AgraFood mag
contact details:
Seongju Farming Cooperativ´s Joing Business Co.
tel: 0082-54-931-0072
fax: 0082-54-931-8375
kuimlee@hanmail.net