Agricultural, Fisheries Exports Hit $7 Billion in 2011

Despite worries about the local farming industry, exports of Korea's agricultural and fisheries products surpassed the US$7 billion mark last year for the first time.

The Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said on Friday that outbound shipments of domestic farming and fisheries goods jumped by more than 20 percent from the previous year, led by rising demand from neighboring countries.

While exports to China doubled, demand in Southeast Asia for Korea’s agricultural goods also soared. Additionally, last spring's deadly earthquake and tsunami in Japan boosted Korea's exports to that country to over $2 billion -- up $420 million from the previous year.