Eight outstanding GAP certification cases selected; Woori-deulEN Agricultural Cooperative in Goryeong wins top production award

Ulsan Agricultural Cooperative Distribution Center opens region's first GAP-exclusive retail outlet

Seosan supplies certified produce to school meals, expanding market access

Freshly harvested strawberries. The image is unrelated to the article. [Getty Images Bank]
Freshly harvested strawberries. The image is unrelated to the article. [Getty Images Bank]

Eight outstanding cases of expanding market access for certified produce — including boosting farm sales and opening dedicated retail outlets — have been selected from production and retail operations that made effective use of Good Agricultural Practices certification.

The National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service announced Tuesday that it held the 12th GAP Certification Outstanding Case Competition, selecting and honoring eight teams across three categories: production, retail and local government.

List of winners at the GAP Certification Outstanding Case Competition [Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs]
List of winners at the GAP Certification Outstanding Case Competition [Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs]

GAP is a certification system that manages agricultural produce according to hygiene and safety standards from production through post-harvest handling and distribution. The agency identifies outstanding cases each year to broaden distribution channels for GAP-certified produce and promote wider adoption of the certification.

The grand prize in the production category went to Woori-deulEN Agricultural Cooperative in Goryeong, North Gyeongsang Province. The cooperative was recognized for building an environment that enabled members to voluntarily grow GAP-certified strawberries, contributing to increased farm sales.

The gold prize in the retail category went to the Ulsan Agricultural Cooperative Comprehensive Distribution Center. Working with local government and producer groups, the center opened and now operates Ulsan's first dedicated retail outlet for GAP-certified produce, establishing a distinct distribution platform for certified agricultural products.

Seosan, in South Chungcheong Province, took the gold prize in the local government category. The city ran a program to improve GAP production conditions, supporting farmers who struggled to meet certification requirements such as keeping farming logs. It also expanded market access by supplying certified produce to local school meal programs.

The awards ceremony was held Friday at the aT Center in Yangjae, Seoul, in conjunction with the A Farm Show agricultural fair. During the fair, a GAP certification promotional pavilion showcased produce from past award-winning farms and provided information on the certification system to prospective farmers considering a move into agriculture.

"We will continue to identify and share field-based best practices to further strengthen the distribution infrastructure for safe agricultural produce and contribute to building a food supply system that the public can trust," said Kim Cheol, head of the quality management service.


adastra@heraldcorp.com