However, with more farmers joining the bandwagon and free trade agreements propelling blueberry imports, the increasing supply against steady demand is pushing down the produce price overall.

Park Gwang-sun, a blueberry farmer by 10 years, told a local wire service that the berries’ price per kilogram dropped three-quarters from a high of 80,000 won ($69) to less than 20,000 won in the recent five years.

South Jeolla provincial government reported rapid growth of blueberry cultivation field from 131 hectares in 2011 to 333 hectares in 2016.

Domestic cultivation of the foreign fruit only fully settled around 2007 and 2008.

Park cautiously predicted the price would not fall further, due to the Korean consumers’ preference for domestic produce to imported goods. Meanwhile, the provincial government said subsidies to the farmers affected by free trade agreements will be made this year for the first time.

By Lim Jeong-yeo (kaylalim@heraldcorp.com)