Recent government data reveals a significant decline in South Korea’s fruit consumption, dropping by nearly 20% over the past 15 years due to supply shortages and surging prices. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs reported yesterday that the nation’s per capita fruit consumption decreased by 19%, reaching 55 kilograms in 2022, compared to its peak of 67.9 kilograms in 2007.
Tangerines and apples emerged as the most consumed fruits on a per capita basis, with 11.8 kilograms and 11 kilograms, respectively, followed by pears (4.4 kilograms), grapes (4.4 kilograms), peaches (3.7 kilograms), and persimmons (1.9 kilograms).
A separate report from the Rural Development Administration underscores the correlation between fruit consumption and prices, noting that fruits are often perceived as non-essential items, leading to decreased consumption when prices escalate.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, consumer spending on agricultural, livestock, and fisheries products experienced an overall decline of 1.4% on average. Notably, while purchases of livestock decreased by 0.8%, agricultural products and fruits witnessed more substantial declines of 6.9% and 9.3%, respectively.