Seoul: The government plans to devise a customized strategy to address non-tariff trade barriers faced by South Korean food exporters, while establishing a dedicated help desk for the firms to navigate shifting trade dynamics, the agriculture ministry said Tuesday. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs unveiled the plan during a meeting with trade-related organizations in the food and agriculture sectors.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the ministry plans to collect information on non-tariff measures faced by food exporters by country and type through the help desk. This information will be reflected in a regular report on foreign trade barriers, which is set to be published starting next year. The government aims to issue regular reports on foreign trade barriers, similar to the National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers published annually by the office of the U.S. Trade Representative.

In Tuesday's meeting, participants shared a case in which difficulties arose during customs clearance when exporting pears to the United States but were later resolved. The participants called on the government to pay close attention to such matters.