No imports at their highest in 12 years… Farmers ‘only sigh’

Last year, imports of fresh radishes surged 11-fold, leading to concerns about the impact on domestic production and consumption. The government has extended the quota tariff for radish imports until April 2025, despite opposition from farmers who are struggling with declining production and increased prices due to abnormal weather conditions. Critics worry that the government's import policy could negatively affect the domestic spring crop supply and demand. Farmers are also shifting to spring radish cultivation due to high winter radish prices, and there are fears that imported radish could replace domestic radish in the market.

Last year, the amount of fresh radish imports surged 11-fold compared to the previous year. In this situation, the government decided to extend the period of application of the foreign fresh radish quota tariff until April. Farmers criticized that excessive increase in imports could weaken the domestic consumption base and lead to the collapse of the domestic production base. ◆Radish imports surge 11-fold… Highest in 12 years = According to the Korea Customs Service, the amount of foreign fresh radish imported from January to December 2024 was 14,871 tons. This is an 11.4-fold increase compared to 2023 (1,307 tons), and the highest in 12 years since 2012 (16,933 tons). The surge in imports is interpreted as a result of a combination of factors such as increased prices due to a decrease in domestic production and the government’s application of quota tariffs. According to the production area, the production of winter radish in 2024-2025 has decreased significantly due to the ...