Browse Data and Analysis

The volume of U.S. fresh, dried, and processed fruit exports between 2012/13 and 2021/22 dropped 29 percent to 2.9 million metric tons[1]. However, a 25-percent gain in unit value during this period softened the decrease in value to just 11 percent lower as trade dropped $700 million to $6.0 billion.

As the 5th largest country export market for the United States, Korea provides a promising market for U.S. agricultural products. In 2021, Korea imported about $43 billion agricultural & food products from all over the world and the U.S. supplied a quarter of it, ranking number one. Other key suppliers were China, Australia, Brazil, and Vietnam.

U.S. agricultural and related product exports to South Korea exceeded nine billion dollars in 2018, making it our fifth largest agricultural export market.

Korea’s total citrus production for Marketing Year (MY) 2019/20 (October – September) is projected to increase six percent to 645,000 metric tons (MT) from 607,638 MT in MY 2018/19.

On November 12, 2019, Statistics Korea (KOSTAT) released its revised 2019 rice production estimate of 3.744 million metric tons (MMT), down 1 percent from the initial rice production estimate....

In Marketing Year (MY) 2019/20 (July – June), Korea’s fresh apple production is projected to increase 7 percent to 508,000 metric tons (MT), mainly due to favorable weather during the flowering....

In marketing year 2019/20, Korea’s pear production is projected to increase by 3.4 percent to 210,000 metric tons due to increased yield as a result of better weather conditions....

For Marketing Year (MY) 2019/20, FAS/Seoul has increased the projection for corn imports to 10.8 MMT.

South Korea’s Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional (HRI) food service sector continues to grow as consumers spend more on dining out and look for more convenience in their busy lives.

In Marketing Year (MY) 2020 (January – December), Korea’s chicken production is projected to increase about 1.6 percent to 957,000 metric tons (MT) compared to MY 2019.

Korea will continue to expand its cattle inventories and consume more domestic and imported beef during the remainder of 2019 and into 2020.

The United States continues to be a top supplier of forage to South Korea.