Photo is unrelated to the article. [Getty Images Bank]
Photo is unrelated to the article. [Getty Images Bank]

As extreme weather events including heat waves and heavy downpours continue to recur, greenhouse horticultural farms — long considered relatively insulated from outside weather conditions — have proven unable to escape the damage. More than 7 in 10 strawberry and tomato greenhouse farms reported experiencing heat wave or heavy rain damage over the past three years.

According to a report released Wednesday by the Korea Rural Economic Institute (KREI), titled "Analysis of Technology Adoption Intentions among Greenhouse Horticultural Farms in Response to Climate Change and Its Implications," 71.8 percent of surveyed farms said they had experienced heat wave damage over the past three years. Another 70.6 percent said they had suffered damage from heavy rain.

The survey covered strawberry and tomato growers drawn from the KREI Agricultural Outlook Center's sample panel. It examined changes in output and production costs over the past three years, as well as farms' experience with abnormal weather events — including heat waves, heavy rain, insufficient sunlight and cold snaps — and the adoption of smart farm technology and climate-adaptive crop varieties. The main survey ran from Dec. 4 last year to Jan. 2 this year, with a supplementary survey conducted from Jan. 7 to Jan. 23.

By crop, tomato farms were more heavily exposed to weather shocks. Some 87.6 percent of tomato farms reported heat wave damage over the past three years, compared with 53.2 percent of strawberry farms — meaning nearly 9 in 10 tomato operations were affected.

Abnormal weather damage rates among strawberry and tomato greenhouse farms (Source: KREI)

| Category | Total | Strawberry | Tomato | |---|---|---|---| | Insufficient sunlight | 78.6% | 77.1% | 79.8% | | Heat wave | 71.8% | 53.2% | 87.6% | | Heavy rain | 70.6% | 66.1% | 74.4% | | Cold snap | 64.3% | 57.8% | 69.8% |

Heavy rain also hit tomato farms harder: 74.4 percent of tomato growers reported damage from downpours, versus 66.1 percent of strawberry farms.

One weather factor caused even more widespread damage than heat waves or heavy rain: insufficient sunlight. Some 78.6 percent of all surveyed farms reported sunlight-related damage over the past three years — 79.8 percent among tomato farms and 77.1 percent among strawberry farms. Cold snap damage was reported by 64.3 percent of all farms, with tomato farms at 69.8 percent and strawberry farms at 57.8 percent.

Abnormal weather also translated into production shortfalls. When asked about unharvested volumes attributable to extreme weather, the largest share of respondents — 32.5 percent — said they had lost between 20 percent and 30 percent of their crop. For both strawberry and tomato farms, responses were concentrated in the 10–20 percent and 20–30 percent loss ranges.

Production costs have also risen. Some 38.7 percent of all farms said costs had "increased slightly" over the past three years, while 32.8 percent said costs were on an "upward trend" — together accounting for 71.5 percent of respondents. Among tomato farms, the figures were 41.1 percent and 33.3 percent, respectively, meaning 74.4 percent felt the pinch of rising costs. Strawberry farms came in at 35.8 percent and 32.1 percent, for a combined 67.9 percent.

The report also highlighted that greenhouse horticulture is no longer a safe haven from climate change. Researchers found that abnormal weather not only causes direct damage — such as structural collapse or flooding — but also delays planting and harvest schedules, stunts plant growth and raises the risk of pest and disease infection, all of which amplify production volatility. Strawberries and tomatoes in particular are susceptible to poor growth and reduced pathogen resistance under heat waves, abnormal cold and insufficient sunlight.

South Korea's greenhouse horticulture sector also carries structural vulnerabilities to climate shocks. Vinyl greenhouses accounted for 99 percent of all greenhouse types as of 2022, according to the report. Researchers said that despite efforts to develop and disseminate climate-adaptive technology, adoption rates on the ground remain low.

"The effects of climate change are manifesting as seasonal disasters that cascade and compound over time," Kim Tae-hyeon, an associate research fellow at KREI, said in the report. "Although greenhouse fruit and vegetable crops are grown in controlled environments, production volatility is expanding due to the influence of external weather factors."

Kim recommended tailored responses that account for the characteristics of each crop. Smart farm support should be calibrated to the facility conditions and circumstances of individual farms by crop type, he said. He added that field demonstration and pilot projects centered on major production areas and leading farms should be expanded so that growers have more opportunities to experience climate-adaptive technology firsthand.


adastra@heraldcorp.com