Seoul: South Korea's fruit exports reached a record high in the first half of 2026, customs data showed Thursday, driven by global demand for premium products and improved cold-chain shipping infrastructure. Fruit exports during the January-June period reached US$95.72 million, up 19.7 percent from a year earlier. The figure for all of 2025 stood at a record $240 million.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the Korea Customs Service reported that Korean fruits are mostly harvested and shipped in the second half of the year. Therefore, there is an expectation that exports could reach a fresh high for the second consecutive year if the current momentum continues. The agency attributed this robust performance to South Korea's strategy of offering premium products tailored to different markets, along with cold-chain shipping infrastructure that allows exporters to maintain freshness.

Strawberries were the leading fruit export, accounting for 63.2 percent of the total, with grapes and pears following at 18.6 percent and 8.4 percent, respectively. In terms of destinations, Singapore accounted for 23.9 percent of the exports, followed by Thailand and Taiwan, which accounted for 18.5 percent and 12.1 percent, respectively.

The data also highlighted that South Gyeongsang Province was the leading region for fruit exports, accounting for 57.4 percent, followed by North Gyeongsang and South Chungcheong provinces, which accounted for 22.7 percent and 6.4 percent, respectively.