To assess the market position of date palms in Korea, it's crucial to recognize that dates are classified as dried fruits, thus deemed natural (unprocessed) foods. Generally, natural foods are favorably perceived by Korean consumers for their health benefits, even though some dried fruits available in the market undergo chemical processing to enhance their flavor and appearance.
South Korea heavily relies on imports for dried fruits, as most local fruit production is sold fresh. Consequently, the Korean Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) anticipates an increase in local demand for imported dried fruits in the coming years.
The commercial import of dates into Korea commenced in 1990 with 22.3 metric tons. However, it wasn't until 19 years later, in 2009, that the volume of imports stabilized, and from 2013 onwards, it has shown consistent growth.
For a summary of our research, please refer to the presentation below.
*Please note that this market study has been made by KOISRA for the Israeli Export Institute. If you wish to read the full market study (57 pages), please check below.
