S. Korea sets up live fish, shellfish packaging center to bolster exports

SEOUL, Dec. 27 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will set up a new packaging center near
the country's main international airport to meet growing overseas demand for live
fish and shellfish products, the government said Sunday.
The Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said the center near
Incheon International Airport west of Seoul will be opened for operations Tuesday
and could help the transport of live fisheries goods by plane.
The facility, to be managed by the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperative
(Suhyup), will help reduce costs of exporters who at present have to operate
individual aquariums and packaging lines. It can also help ship live fish to
countries such as the United States.
"It is estimated that a centralized facility can save each exporter 500 million
won (US$424,553) per year and can fuel overseas sales of such products as
flounder and abalone," said Park Chong-guk, deputy minister for fisheries
policies.
He pointed out that in the past, many local companies were not able to meet
overseas demand because they could not export their products live.
The ministry and Suhyup said exports of flounder that reached 400 tons this year
may rise by 200 tons in 2010, while abalone exports can benefit as well.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
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