This year's first-quarter agricultural and food exports approached $2.5 billion, marking the highest performance on record. The strong sales of key processed foods such as ramen, tobacco products, and sauces, alongside increased overseas demand from the Middle East and Europe, supported this achievement.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the export value of agricultural and food products (fresh produce and processed foods) from January to March this year reached $2.48 billion (approximately 3.6 trillion won), representing a 9.6% increase compared to the same period last year. This surpassed last year's first-quarter record.
By country, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states saw the largest increase at 37.9%, while Europe (34.1%) and North America (21.7%) also recorded double-digit growth rates. In terms of items, exports of ramen, tobacco products, and sauces led the overall performance.
Ramen exports totaled $344 million as they expanded beyond existing key markets such as the United States and China to new regions. Tobacco products saw increased demand for domestic brands in the United Arab Emirates due to the Korean Wave in the Middle East, with exports also growing in Russia and Mongolia, totaling $261 million.
Sauces continued to grow through exports of spicy processed products such as spicy chicken sauce and traditional sauces like gochujang (Korean red pepper paste) and doenjang (soybean paste).
Among fresh produce, grapes (40.6%) and chicken (14.1%) showed significant growth rates. The demand for packaged grapes for personal consumption increased in Taiwan and the United States, while exports of chicken, including samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup) home meal replacement (HMR) products, rose primarily in Vietnam, the United States, and Europe.
Exports of agricultural products, including smart farms, agricultural machinery, and veterinary medicines, increased by 2.3% to $700 million in the first quarter. The combined export value of agricultural and food products, known as 'K-Food Plus,' rose 7.9% to $3.18 billion.
In the agricultural sector, animal medicines, pesticides, seeds, and fertilizers were identified as major export items. Among these, exports of veterinary medicines saw a rising trend due to increased demand for strategic items such as lysine, vaccines, and medical devices.
Led by CJ CheilJedang and Daesang, exports of lysine (an animal amino acid) surged 174% to $36 million, aided by increased demand in Eastern Europe. Pesticide exports rose by 33.7% to $212 million, while seeds (up 49.1%) and fertilizers (up 16.9%) also showed positive export performance.