S. Korea's chocolate, cocoa imports increase slightly in 2009

SEOUL, Feb. 10 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's imports of chocolate and cocoa rose
slightly last year despite an economic downturn, the country's customs office
said Wednesday.

The country imported US$142.29 million worth of chocolate and cocoa in 2009, up
0.7 percent from a year earlier, though in terms of the actual amount, chocolate
and cocoa imports fell 2 percent to 31,113 tons during the same period, it said.
The nation's imports of chocolate products, which have fallen since 2007,
increased in the October-December period of last year.
Imports shot up 16 percent from a year ago in the three month period on
expectations of a sales increase before the Christmas holidays and Valentine's
Day.
Monthly chocolate imports in the February-September period of 2009 came to an
average 923 tons, compared with 2,092 tons in the October-January period during
the reported year.
Last year, the United States was the largest chocolate exporter to South Korea
accounting for 35 percent of total imports. The U.S. has been the top chocolate
exporter to the country over the past three years.
Chocolate shipped from Italy soared 41 percent in 2009 from a year earlier, while
shipments from China dropped 84 percent to 510 tons in the same period.
jia@yna.co.kr
(END)

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