S. Korea aims for 20 pct increase in farm exports to Southeast Asia

SEOUL, April 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's state-run agriculture trade corporation
said Monday that it is aiming for a 20 percent increase in farm exports to
Southeast Asia this year.
The target set by the Korea Agro-Fisheries Trade Corp. (aT center) is designed to
capitalize on growing consumer concerns about the poor quality of some imported
goods and the rising popularity of South Korean culture, fueled mainly by music,
movies and TV dramas.
Southeast Asia accounted for 10 percent of all agricultural exports in 2008,
making it the fourth largest overseas market after Japan, China, and the United
States.
"The goal is to increase exports to US$530 million in 2009 from around $420
million last year," a spokesman for the corporation said.
To fuel growth, the aT center said it signed a cooperative agreement with the
Matahari Group in Indonesia to support sales of South Korean farm products in the
archipelago, with efforts underway for similar tie-ups with large retailers from
Singapore and Vietnam.
It said particular emphasis will be placed in exports of dried laver, noodles,
various sauces, mushrooms, paprika and small-sized tomatoes popular with
Southeast Asians.
The efforts by the aT center reflect Seoul's overall drive to locate foreign
outlets for locally-raised farm products.
Seoul said earlier in the year that it will strive to ship $5.3 billion worth of
local farm and fisheries products and processed food this year, up from $4.4
billion in 2008.
For the first two months of this year, exports gained 5.5 percent on-year to $619
million, thanks to favorable exchange rates that make local products cheaper
abroad.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)