Fostering Oyster as the Next Leading Export Product Following Gim (Laver); Challenge to Become the World's No. 1 Oyster-Exporting Country

 

- Announcement of Development Plan for the Oyster Aquaculture Industry by MOF

 

- Providing new growth engines to the oyster industry by establishing oyster-only fishing ports and aquaculture complexes

 

- Targeting the European market with single and processed oyster products with the goal of USD 160 million in exports by 2030

 

 The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF; Minister Kang Do-hyung) announced on January 9 that it had presented the Development Plan for the Oyster Aquaculture Industry at the Cabinet Meeting on State Affairs and the Economic Ministers’ Meeting. Oysters are widely consumed seafood in both East and West whose global market size is valued at USD 600 million as of 2022. South Korea ranks as the world’s third-largest oyster exporter, following France (USD 140 million) and China (USD 120 million).

 

 The Development Plan for the Oyster Aquaculture Industry contains three strategies to achieve two goals—increasing oyster production by 100,000 tons by 2030 (300,000 tons in 2023 → 400,000 tons in 2030) and doubling oyster exports by 2030 (USD 80 million in 2023 → USD 160 million in 2030)—to realize the vision of becoming the world’s No. 1 oyster-exporting country.

 

 [Strategy ❶ Production Facility and Technology Innovation]

 

 ▣ Consolidation of the oyster industry from aquaculture-only fishing ports to supporting industrial complexes such as processing plants

 

 Building an integrated complex for oyster farming and creating a dedicated oyster farming port will be considered. The strategy plans to increase the efficiency of the oyster production process by locating around 400 oyster peeling plants scattered across major oyster production regions—such as Tongyeong and Geoje in Gyeongsangnam-do and Yeosu in Jeollanam-do—in the dedicated integrated complex and fishing port. Essential facilities for oyster production including seed production farms and processing plants will also be established within the industrial complex.

 

 ▣ Modernization of the industry by establishing automatic and smart oyster production processes

 

 The strategy will implement the automation of oyster production sites, which are primarily dependent on manual labor. It will improve the working environment by supplying conveyor belts and customized equipment (shell removers, washers, automatic sorters, etc.) in shared workplaces and work vessels that can automatically harvest oysters at sea, perform primary washing, etc.

 

 [Strategy ❷ Expanding the Market Base]

 

 ▣ Promotion of domestic oyster consumption by expanding processed oyster products and check-off fund program for oysters

 

 The strategy will support food processing companies in the production and sale of new processed oyster products and induce the diversification of the domestic oyster market—which is currently dominated by shelled oysters—by distributing various cooking methods using oysters. It will also drastically increase the check-off fund for oysters, which is only KRW 500 million at present, to strengthen the industry's consumer promotion function.

 

 ▣ Expanding global export markets and strengthening presence in existing markets with a goal of USD 160 million in oyster exports by 2030

 

 The strategy will diversify export markets by supporting entry into the European market, which prefers high-value whole oysters.* To this end, the ministry will actively support the transition of general oyster farms to single oyster production, increasing the proportion of single oysters from 1% of total oyster production to 30% by 2030.

 

  * Unlike common oysters, single oysters are sold with their shells intact. They have larger size and higher added value.

 

 Moreover, the strategy will expand the presence of the Korean oyster industry in existing export markets such as the US and Japan, which account for 71% of total oyster exports. The strategy will provide financial support to exporters in acquiring the international certifications required by importing countries to enhance export competitiveness.

 

 [Strategy ❸ Strengthening Sanitation, Safety]

 

 The strategy will accelerate the installation of facilities to prevent the penetration of pollutants from land and sea, preserve clean oyster waters, and produce safe oysters. It will increase the rate of sewage system coverage in oyster production areas and strengthen the education of small vessels on pollutant discharge.

 

 Furthermore, the oyster shell recycling facility completed in November last year will enable the sanitary and eco-friendly processing of oyster by-products by repurposing oyster shells as auxiliary materials for steel mills, power plants, and construction materials.

 

 “Unlike other seafood, oysters are widely consumed worldwide, making them a significant opportunity for Korean companies to enter the international market. With these measures, we will transform the traditional oyster industry into an automated, smart industry producing high-quality, safe oysters while strengthening Korea’s industrial competitiveness to become the world’s number one oyster exporter,” Minister Kang Do-hyung said.