Officials pose for a commemorative photo at a joint export shipping ceremony for Yeongcheon shine muscat grapes held Friday at the Yeongcheon Agricultural Cooperative's APC in Hwanan-myeon. [Yeongcheon City]
Officials pose for a commemorative photo at a joint export shipping ceremony for Yeongcheon shine muscat grapes held Friday at the Yeongcheon Agricultural Cooperative's APC in Hwanan-myeon. [Yeongcheon City]

Shine muscat grapes from Yeongcheon, North Gyeongsang Province, are being exported simultaneously to the United States, Taiwan and Hong Kong as the region accelerates its push into overseas markets.

The Yeongcheon Agricultural Cooperative held a joint export shipping ceremony Friday at its APC in Hwanan-myeon.

Yeongcheon Mayor Kim Byung-sam, Yeongcheon Agricultural Cooperative Chairman Seong Young-geun, National Agricultural Cooperative Federation Yeongcheon branch chief Lee Sang-yong and Gyeongbuk Tongsan CEO Kim Hyun-gyu were among those who attended.

The day's shipment totaled 24.5 tons across four containers — 6.5 tons bound for the US, 16.5 tons for Taiwan and 1.5 tons for Hong Kong. The cooperative said it was the largest single-day shine muscat export volume in its history.

The Yeongcheon Agricultural Cooperative began exporting in 2019 and has since worked to expand its overseas reach. Last year, it received the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs' "$2 Million Export Tower" award.

This year, the cooperative had already recorded $1.7 million in export earnings as of late October and expects to surpass last year's full-year figure by year's end.

The export push has drawn particular attention as a potential lifeline for grape farmers struggling with falling shine muscat prices, with expanded exports seen as a new avenue for stabilizing farm incomes.

To diversify its export markets, the cooperative began preparing a production complex dedicated to North American exports in 2023 and made its first shipment to the US in 2024. This year, it expects North America to account for more than 30 percent of its total export volume.

"Overseas promotional events, cultivating skilled farmers for high-quality grape production, and cooperation with domestic exporters have all laid the groundwork for our export expansion," Seong said.

"Exports are a new source of hope and an important sales channel for grape farmers hit hard by falling prices," Kim said. "We will spare no effort in supporting farmers so they can continue their agricultural activities with stability."


kbj7653@heraldcorp.com