In the first half of this year, K-Food+ exports recorded $6.66 billion, an increase of 7.1% compared to the same period last year. Processed foods centered around spicy ramen and veterinary pharmaceuticals drove the growth of the agricultural industry.
On the 3rd, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced that agricultural food exports increased by 8.4% to $5.16 billion in the first half of this year, while agricultural industry exports rose by 3.1% to $1.5 billion.
Among processed foods, ramen exports surpassed $731.7 million, surging 24% to record the highest export value among all K-Food items in the first half of the year. Strong growth rates were seen across major regions, including China (41.7%), the United States (40.8%), ASEAN (12.2%), and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) (54.5%), with new products such as spicy cream ramen boosting performance.
Sauces also saw an increase of 18.4%, exporting $22.84 million. Notably, expansion in the Japanese (128.5%) and Chinese (27.0%) markets was remarkable. Ice cream recorded $6.55 million, a 23.1% increase, benefiting from a strong performance in the United States and Canada.
Among fresh products, exports of chicken (7.9%) and yuzu (5.5%) stood out. In the case of chicken, exports to the United States and the European Union (EU) expanded significantly, surpassing the total performance of the previous year in the first half, while yuzu surged 62.3% in the United States, driven by the spread of health drink recognition.
In the agricultural institutional sector, veterinary pharmaceuticals recorded the largest increase at $16.72 million (51%). Among these, lysine, a veterinary nutritional supplement, increased by 160% compared to the previous year due to rising demand in Europe. Pesticides (22.4%), seeds (14.1%), and fertilizers (6.8%) also showed stable growth.
By region, export growth rates were highest in North America (24.3%), the EU and the United Kingdom (23.9%), the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) (17.8%), and the Commonwealth of Independent States and Mongolia (9.0%). Notably, exports to the United States in the second quarter rose by 28.6% compared to the previous quarter, reaffirming its status as a major market.
Minister Song Mi-ryeong noted, "Despite the challenging environment of reciprocal tariffs, high exchange rates, and more, the collaboration between the public and private sectors has allowed us to maintain the upward trend in exports," adding, "We will continue to provide comprehensive support in promotions, consulting, and logistics to achieve our export target of $14 billion by the end of the year."