The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs held a ceremony to mark the first ever sale of South Korean rice in China at a supermarket of grocery giant Indigo BHG in Beijing's Chaoyang district.

The ceremony of Thursday came months after South Korea in February exported 72 tons of rice through China’s state-run trading firm COFCO, following the signing of the Seoul-Beijing free trade deal in September last year.

South Korean Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Lee Dong-phil and some ten officials from both countries attended the ceremony, which showcased food made from rice, talks shows and performances.

The ministry plans to support rice exporters with the creation of export complexes, development of wrapping paper to be shared among related companies, as well as through online, television and department store advertisements.