South Korea: Fresh Deciduous Fruit Annual
The Korean pear industry is projected to continue declining, as both supply and demand for the fruit come under pressure. Consumption in MY 2015/16 fell to 226,348 MT and is expected to continue to decline to 219,000 MT in MY 2016/17, as consumer preferences are moving away from the large-size Korean Singo pear toward other types of fruit, and farmers are reluctant to shift to smaller-sized cultivars. Challenges in production caused by an aging farming population and increased urbanization have also led to steady decreases in area under cultivation and consequently lower pear production.