KOREAN NET

The Korea Seed Expo will run from Oct. 16-18 at K-Seed Valley, a research and development complex for plant breeding of seed companies, in Gimje, Jeollabuk-do Province. Shown is a scene from last year's event. (2024 Korea Seed Expo's official website)

By Park Hye Ri

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs from Oct. 16-18 will host this year's Korea Seed Expo at K-Seed Valley, a research and development complex for plant breeding of seed companies, in Gimje, Jeollabuk-do Province.

Launched in 2017 as the nation's lone event of its kind, the expo seeks to promote both at home and abroad the outstanding varieties developed by seed companies.

Ninety-one seed domestic and foreign companies, upstream and downstream businesses, institutions and organizations will participate, making this year's edition the largest in the event's history. The expo will introduce the latest products and agricultural technologies related to seeds including outstanding varieties, farming equipment and cultivation systems.

A combined 497 varieties of 58 crops displayed by seed companies and others will be cultivated and exhibited at the event in an outdoor exhibition field. This will allow overseas buyers, farmers and visitors to check the growth status of the crops.

In cooperation with the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency, an export consultation will be held for 67 new foreign buyers. At an online consultation between late August and the middle of last month, contracts worth USD 73,000 were signed between 15 domestic and nine foreign companies.

The ministry will also hold the 20th Korea Variety Awards.

Lee Sang-man, director-general of the ministry's Agri-food Innovation Policy Bureau, said, "This expo will offer the opportunity to widely promote our outstanding seed varieties both at home and abroad, thus raising the self-sufficiency rate for domestic seeds and expanding their export markets."

hrhr@korea.kr