South Korea begins 2025 pear exports to Vietnam : The Cultural Day is expected to help further strengthen the Vietnam – RoK friendship while reaffirming Hue’s determination to expand international exchanges and assert its role as a cultural and tourism hub of the country.
The Jeonbuk Agricultural Cooperative and Jeonju Horticultural Cooperative of the Republic of Korea (RoK) have marked the shipment of the first batch of 2025-season pears to Vietnam. The first consignment weighed 16.2 tons and was valued at about 60 million KRW (US$43,000). The fruit will be distributed to major Vietnamese cities, including Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.
Vietnam’s climate does not generally support pear cultivation, except in some northern mountainous provinces such as Lai Chau, Lao Cai, Ha Giang, and Cao Bang. In these areas, cooler conditions allow for small-scale production. However, locally grown pears are typically smaller in size, harvested over a short two-month season, and have limited shelf life without cold storage.
The Jeonbuk and Jeonju cooperatives aim to establish their pears in Vietnam as a premium product. Exporters are promoting the fruit’s sweetness, freshness, and compliance with safety standards to differentiate it from lower-priced Chinese pears that dominate the market in Southeast Asia. Plans are in place to expand shipments to other countries in the region. The cooperatives expect to export about 200 tons of pears to markets such as Thailand and Indonesia during the season.
Jeonju Horticultural Cooperative Chairman Lim Jong-gyeong said the exports reflect the collective efforts of farmers and cooperatives. He added that despite competition from Chinese pears, Jeonbuk pears are expected to maintain a position in Southeast Asian markets through quality and safety compliance.
Alongside export growth, Lim noted that the cooperatives remain focused on developing sustainable agriculture and rural communities.