Fruit production in Korea is particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, and the adverse weather conditions observed in 2023 have affected the main fruit crops.
According to a recent FAS GAIN report issued by the USDA, South Korean fresh pear production in the 2023/24 marketing year (July-June) is expected to reach just 200,000 tonnes, down 20% on the previous year (251,093 tonnes).
This decline is due to lower yields resulting from unfavorable conditions: premature flowering at the end of March and frost at the start of flowering, followed by heavy rain and hail during fruit development, and finally extreme heat waves.
These adverse weather conditions are also expected to affect other major South Korean fruit crops such as apples, peaches and persimmons, leading to an overall reduction in the country's total fruit production of around 10-20%.