S. Korea targeting US$6.4 bln in farm exports

SEOUL, Dec. 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korea aims to export US$6.4 billion worth of
farm, fisheries and food products in 2010, up 33 percent from the total forecast
for this year, the government said Wednesday.
The Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said the sharp
increase from the $4.8 billion likely for this year reflects expectations that a
worldwide economic recovery will fuel demand.
The country will strive to meet its growth forecast through market
diversification and by selling more products in established markets like China
and the United States, said the ministry in its annual report.
Seoul also wants to make headway into markets in the Philippines and Brazil and
is eying exports of "samgyetang" to the U.S. and paprika to China in the new
year. Samgyetang is stewed whole chicken stuffed with rice and ginseng and can be
canned for longer preservation and export.
"The export figure has been intentionally set high for the new year even if the
country failed to export $5.3 billion in farm products this year as originally
targeted," deputy farm minister Choi Hyung-kyu said.
He said by setting lofty targets, the government wanted to highlight its goal of
shipping out $10 billion worth of farm goods and food by 2012.
The official also said South Korea will further expand international cooperation
in the agriculture, fisheries and forestry sectors in the new year.
"Cooperative arrangements with 16 agriculture companies in six countries such as
Laos, Cambodia and Indonesia will permit the country to secure grain resources of
200,000 tons, with closer ties being sought with eight Pacific-rim nations to
ensure a steady catch of tuna," he said.
The deputy minister added that the country will plant 20,000 hectares of forest
in Southeast Asian countries that will contribute to South Korea's greenhouse
reduction efforts.
Choi said that South Korea will set aside 150,000 tons of rice for the ASEAN Plus
Three Emergency Rice Reserve so it can be used in emergencies in the event of a
bad harvest.
South Korea also plans to spend 4.2 billion won (US$3.6 million) to help train
agriculture sector experts from developing countries, up from 2.8 billion won
this year.
On the domestic front, the ministry said that it will implement policies to cut
livestock feed and fertilizer costs by 460 billion won and 100 billion won,
respectively, in the new year by streamlining overall farming practices and
operations. Such efforts could help reduce on-year energy spending by 4.7 percent
or 100 billion won.
Cutting energy use is a key policy initiative of the incumbent administration,
which plans to cut output of greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent from the
business as usual level by 2020, compared to 2005.
"Cutting feed costs will involve introduction of more standardized ways of raising
cows, pigs and chickens," a working level official said. He speculated that such
measures could result in a 5 percent dip in consumer prices.
Other measures to be adopted in 2010 call for starting a campaign to get people
to consume more rice and to push for country-of-origin labelling on alcoholic
beverages made and sold in the country. The latter measure can also be extended
to imported beef.
He said that enhancing labelling transparency would enhance consumer rights.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)