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Protected cultivation in South Korea |
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Protected Cultivation |
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| A review of protected vegetable cultivation in South Korea |
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Following a recent technical visit to South Korea Grodan A/S Technical Consultants provide us with an insight into the countries rapidly developing area of protective cultivation
The Korean peninsula borders Russia and China to the north and west and Japan to the east it is divided by the well-publicised 38th parallel . South Korea extends 500 km south ending at Jeju-Do Island, 34oN. The country has an approximate land mass similar in size to Portugal and has to accommodate 47 million people 25% of which reside in the capital city of Seoul making this cosmopolitan urban centre a natural market for many growers.
One thing that strikes you as you as you exit the air-conditioned atmosphere of the newly built Incheon International Airport situated to the west of Seoul is the humidity. Typically in this can be around 80%. Korea has four distinct seasons these, as in other countries around the world govern the cropping cycle of the major protected crop s namely tomatoes, (chilli)peppers, cucumbers, melons and strawberries. Autumn is cool and dry with temperatures around 10 to 15oC.
Temperatures rise to a pleasant 18 to 25oC in April, May and June before the summer monsoon rains commence in July and August where temperatures hit 30oC with a monthly rainfall figure around 300 to 400 mm. Consequently the relative humidity can be 85 to 90%. Winter is cold with temperatures hovering around zero in Seoul to 15oC in the mountains. However the light levels are sufficient enough at 500-800 J per day to allow long season crops to over wintered.
The area of protected horticultural crop production in South Korea has risen sharply, some would say it has exploded, since the early 1990 s largely as a result of Government incentives to rice farmers. The area under protection is now estimated to be 55,000 ha. Tomatoes are produced on 5000 ha, cucumbers on 4000 ha and chilli peppers 5000 ha. The remainder is made up of melons, beans, strawberries and roses. The total area consists of many small growers who typically produce their crops using low input soil based systems under multi-span polytunnels with an average nursery size of 0.3 ha.
The area of sweet peppers is a modest 130 ha but this sector is the most technologically advanced with the majority of growers using Grodan substrate in production facilities akin to those in the UK and Holland. The average nursery size is also larger, around 1 ha, and most of the pepper crop is exported to the lucrative Japanese market. |
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Tomato production
Chunchen is a large provincial town located 150 km north east of Seoul and it is emerging as a major centre for tomato production. Typically for Korea the poly-tunnels are surrounded by paddy fields (Plate 1). It is therefore not difficult to see why crop physiological disorders and diseases associated with high humidity such as poor fruit set, blossom-end-rot and Botrytis are the major limiting factors to yield. |
Plate1: Typical Korean poly-tunnel used for tomato cultivation.
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The majority of tomato growers utilise low input soil based systems. Due to the harsh summer climate two crops are grown per year. The first is planted in week 52. It is stopped around week 20 and by the time the last fruits are harvested in week 28 yields are in the region of 10 to 12 kg/m2. Production of the second crop commences at the end of the monsoon season in week 35 ending in week 50 with yields typically around 8-10 kg/m2.
Soil pathogens Fursarium and Pythium therefore major problems. They are controlled by a combination of solarisation and chemicals during each crop turn round.
However progressive forward thinking growers like Mr Baekeun Lee whose nursery covers 0.8 ha are trying Grodan Master slabs for the first time in 2003. Mr Lee like many other growers in the region produces traditional greenback varieties from Sakata Seeds for the local markets in Seoul. Co-operation amongst the growers in this region is evident. Mr Lee along with his five business partners, themselves all growers, (Plate 2) has recently erected the first packhouse in the region thanks to 60% grant aid from the Government, (Plate 3). “This facility will be used exclusively for tomatoes grown on Grodan to promote the fact we are growing in hydroponics not dirty diseased soil. So far we are very satisfied with Grodan and our yields have doubled in the first season” explained Mr Lee. |
Plate 2: Mr Lee (holding box) with his business partners.
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Plate 3: The packhouse which will be used exclusively for fruit produced on Grodan substrate.
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“Although there are no cool chain storage facilities as is common in northern Europe (Plate 4) this is a major step forward for growers in the region”. Grodan is a company who prides itself in working in partnership with its customers and I will be assisting Mr Lee and others with relevant technical support packages” explains Sang Don Lee Grodan’s Technical Consultant in Asia.
It is this aspect of Grodan’s continuing support and philosophy towards it customers that gives Mr Lee the confidence to try something “new”.
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Plate 4: Loading the fruit for the local markets in Seoul.
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| Cherry tomatoes are also popular in Korea. Growers like Mr Kang (Plate 5) started to produce tomatoes when the Government removed the rice subsidy. Typical yields for his soil grown crops are 7 kg/m2 with each plant producing 9-10 trusses at a plant density of 3.5 /m2. Only one crop per year is grown from November to May at other times leafy salads are produced again for the markets in Seoul. |
Plate 5: Cherry tomato grower Mr Kang.
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| The produce is packed by hand on-site into attractive 4 kg boxes which also bear Mr Kangs name (Plate 6). It will be sold in the Seoul markets for 2100 Korean Won per kilo, about £1.30. |
Plate 6: Simple graders and expensive packaging is the order of the day for most Korean tomato growers.
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Substratus Korea
Due to the need for sound technical advice in the region Grodan have recently expanded its crop consultancy division into Asia with the establishment of Substratus Korea. Chief Executive and pepper grower Mr J. K. Lee (J.K.) describes the new company’s mission as being able to “assist Korean growers in fulfilling their needs for continuous improvements in crop quality and performance by delivering structured cultural advice which is applicable to local conditions and circumstances” (Plate 7).
As well as J.K. there are two full time consultants working for the company. Han Su Jung is also a pepper grower who started to undertake consultancy work 10 months ago. Mr “Nelson” Moon trained as an International Trader at University before managing an English language school entering the glasshouse industry in 1998 after gaining his “green” knowledge by acting as a translator for Dutch consultant Bart Hellemens. Bart is also a partner in Substratus Korea and has been advising Korean pepper growers for the past 7 year’s, making the long journey from Amsterdam every second month. |
Plate 7: Substratus Korea manager J.K. Lee explains his companies philosophy to Grodan A/S consultants Doug Marlow and Wlodzimierz Oswiecimski.
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Pepper production
Pepper production in Korea is similar to that in northern Europe, utilising modern production techniques one would see in any glasshouse in the Westland area of The Netherlands. The only difference being that the glasshouse structures are more robust as they have to be strong enough to survive 150 km/hr wind speeds, which accompany the summer monsoons.
J.K. Lee’s 2.0 ha nursery is situated close to the town of Iksan about 250 km south of Seoul. Three varieties are grown Boogie (orange), Fiesta (yellow) and Special (red). These are planted in double rows at 3.5 plants/m2. Three stems are taken from each plant giving a final head density of 10.5 /m2. This is required to produce fruits of 150 to 180 g although the debate for next season is the option of increasing the initial density and opting for a two-stem system for a more even production. Yields for all three varieties are around 20 kg/m2. The peppers are exported to Japan where they fetch an average price 4000 Korean Won per kilo (£2.10 / kilo).
Traditional long season pepper crops are grown on a high wire system (Plate 8). Planting takes place in late July and the crop is removed at the beginning of July the following year leaving the glasshouse empty for approximately 2 weeks. “It is a hard task taking this crop through the winter and it is important that we balance the fruit load correctly. But we need to do this to get the high prices”, explains J.K. adding, “our biggest problem at the moment (in late May) is blossom-end-rot which is caused by the high relative humidity. In order to combat this we are implementing a sound water management strategy to make sure we have calcium and water available in the Grodan Expert slabs for the crop. We are also using the windward vents to stimulate transpiration in. We will also use up to 50% shade screens to help the crop when the light intensity is above 850 W”. |
Plate 8: Traditional head dress keeps the intense sun at bay when working the top of a high wire pepper crop.
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Paprika Association of Korea
The Paprika Association of Korea was formed in 1997 mainly to aid the export of the fruit to the lucrative Japanese market. It currently comprises of around 10 grower groups (40 ha). The association set up the Nongsan Trading Company (Plate 9). The Techincal Director, Ms Kim is responsible for setting all production targets on the growers nurseries and quality assurance procedures in the impressive packhouse which packs and grades around 4000 tonnes peppers per annum 90% of which are exported to Dole food company in Japan. |
Plate 9: Nongsan's dedicated packhouse for sweet peppers handles 4000 tonnes per annun most of which is destined for Japan.
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Global retail invasion
Many of the world’s largest global retailers (Wal-Mart, Carrefour and Tesco) are present in Korea and Nongsan is keen to supply them. This year the company has already started to supply Tescos who currently have 14 hypermarkets in Korea (Plate 10), as well as stores in Thailand, Malaysia and Taiwan. It is interesting to note that the company experienced an annual sales increase of 124% in Asia in 2002 (Tesco Annual Report 2002). |
Plate 10: Tesco which has its base in the UK is the 5th largest global retailer and currently has 14 hypermarkets in South Korea.
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| Due to the increasing presence of the retailer Ms Kim is keen to learn about and subsequently implement accreditation procedures along the lines of EUREPGAP to further strengthen the position of Nongsan and who knows maybe become category manager for salad crops in Asia. |
Plate 11: Peppers on display inside a Tesco store in Seoul.
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