South Korea’s exports of agri-food products in the first half of the year posted a new high of three-point-three billion U.S. dollars. That’s up six-and-a-half percent compared to the same period last year.
 
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced on Wednesday that such exports to Japan and member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations(ASEAN) remained above ten percent from the beginning of the year.
 
Agri-food exports to Japan surged more than 13 percent year-on-year to stand at 630 million dollars thanks to sharp growth in shipments of tomatoes and coffee capsules and cubes. Such exports to ASEAN countries, including Thailand and Indonesia, also jumped more than 12 percent to 610 million dollars.
 
Exports to China, on the other hand, fell eleven-point-four percent in the first half of the year to 435 million dollars due to Beijing’s retaliation over the installment of the THAAD antimissile system on the Korean Peninsula. However, South Korea’s exports of instant ramyeon noodles and beer to China surged despite such conditions.
 
Meanwhile, South Korea’s exports of fresh food products slipped four-and-a-half percent to 480 million dollars due to sluggish shipment of fruits and poultry products partly due to the spread of avian influenza.