As the largest exporter of paprika into Japan, Korea is increasingly building hi-tech glass greenhouses for paprika and other vegetables. The demand for hi-tech glass greenhouses for growing tomatoes and strawberries is also emerging.
Policies to upgrade low-tech greenhouses to mid- or high-tech greenhouses help the development of greenhouses, while small farm sizes, continuous opposition from existing farmers and protectionism still form obstacles. Yet increasing interest in hi-tech horticulture by the Korean society and businesses leads to new opportunities.
This information is shared in a newly updated report on greenhouse horticulture in South Korea by LAN team Seoul. The report shows that Korea’s ornamental plant production has decreased since 2005, and vegetable production has decreased since 2010.
The horticulture greenhouse area has declined accordingly and was 56,467 ha in total in 2019. Vegetables accounted for 96% of the use of the total greenhouse area. Most of the greenhouses in Korea are low-tech plastic greenhouses mainly for growing watermelons, melons, strawberries, cucumbers, and pumpkins. Contrary to the low-tech plastic greenhouse area, the hi-tech glass greenhouse area has steadily grown and reached 367 ha in 2019.
The report is available now via Agroberichten Buitenland.
For more information:
Ministry of agriculture, nature and food quality of the Netherlands
www.government.nl/en