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Food News Clipping

March 12, 2012

2012.03.12

FAS/Seoul Monitoring of Media Reporting on Agricultural Issues

Today's Date:      Monday, March 12, 2012

For Coverage:     March 09 - 12, 2012
 
 

 

1. BILATERAL/MULTILATERAL ISSUES

 

President of the Democratic United Party states that the Roh Administration was too hasty with the KORUS FTA [Korean: BYK]

http://www.moneytoday.co.kr/view/mtview.php?type=1&no=2012031211201572881&outlink=1

Summary: Han, Myung Sook, President of the Democratic United Party, admitted that there were some mistakes that the former administration had made during the KORUS FTA negotiations.  While attending a roundtable discussions with reporters, one of the panelist asked Han if she agreed that the former administration had agreed to eight (8) of the ten issues that the current opposition party was raising as being problematic.  She replied that the only thing that she can admit is that the former administration had been too hasty and that it should have come up with a conclusion after undergoing more pre4cise and detailed analysis. 

 

2. BIOTECHNOLOGY ISSUES

 

Koreans become more aware of LMO [Korean: BYK]

http://www.mdtoday.co.kr/mdtoday/index.html?no=180696

Summary: According to a survey conducted by KBCH, 81.1 percent of the people surveyed were area of LMO.  However, only 27 percent of the people had any intention to purchase food and agricultural products made out of LMO and only 17.5 percent of livestock products made from LMO.

 

3. LIVESTOCK ISSUES

 

Suspected Case of Avian Influenza found in South Choonchung province [Korean: BYK]

http://www.moneytoday.co.kr/view/mtview.php?type=1&no=2012031208412712890&outlink=1

Summary: A poultry farm located in Gyeryong city in south Choongchung province reported a suspected case of avian influenza and the Korean government is undergoing tests to see if it is a HPAI or not.  The final test result is due to come out on March 13.

 

4. MARKETING ISSUES

 

Importers of American Wine Offer ¡®Celebrating KORUS FTA¡¯ Price Discount [Korean, OSY]

http://news.donga.com/Economy/Market/3/0108/20120311/44688326/1

Summary: Leading importers of American wine have announced price discount that they will offer upon the implementation of the KORUS FTA on March 15.  Shindong, importer of Robert Mondavi, has announced as much as 14 percent price cut on Mondavi wines.  Keumyang, importer of 42 different American wines, announced an average 10 percent price cut. 

 

Customs Office, ¡°Kenya Coffee Beans Roasted in the U.S. is a U.S. Product¡± [Korean, OSY]

http://media.paran.com/economy/view.kth?dirnews=760904&year=2012&p_eye=news%5Eright%5Ei01%5Emedia%5Eeconomy

Summary: Korean Customs office announced on March 11 that it has ruled that the country of origin of coffee beans harvested in Kenya and roasted in the U.S. before being exported to Korea is the U.S.  Eleven coffee importers in Korea were charged a total of 2.1 billion won of fine earlier this year on an allegation that they mislabeled the country of origin of some of their products.

 

5. OTHER MISCELLANEOUS ISSUES

 

Importers to lower U.S. wine prices[KJH, English]

http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com/news/article/html/743/2949743.html

Summary: Local wine importers are announcing their plans to lower the prices of their U.S. wines as the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement goes into force on March 15.  Local wine importers are announcing their plans to lower the prices of their U.S. wines as the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement goes into force on Thursday after much delay. The trade pact lifts a 15 percent tariff on wine imports from the country. Shindong Wine, one of the nation¡¯s leading wine importers, said yesterday that consumers will be able to purchase bottles of Robert Mondavi at discounts of up to 14 percent from Thursday.  With the change in price tag, consumers will be able to buy a bottle of Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon at an 11 percent discount, which will see the price drop from 78,000 won to 69,000 won at Hyundai Department Store. A bottle of Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Merlot will cost 21,000 won, down 14 percent. ¡°Once the tariff on American wine is lifted, products will gain more price competitiveness in the local market,¡± said Yoo Tae-young, an official from Shindong Wine. ¡°We expect this to spur change in the overall wine industry.¡± Prior to Shindong Wine¡¯s announcement, Keumyang International, Korea¡¯s No. 1 wine importer, also said it will lower the prices of 42 different wines it imports from the U.S. by 10 percent starting Thursday.

 

6. MIFAFF PRESS RELEASES

 

MIFAFF to expand quality certification system for liquor to distilled liquor

 

Minister Suh visits strawberry export farm in Goyang-shi

 

Cuttle fish sells at half prices

 

Honor inspectors visits restaurants and promotes COO labeling

 

FAO Food Price Index increases slightly in February from 213 point in January to 215 point

 

Suspected case of Avian Influenza in Choongchungnam-do

 

7. aT PUBLIC NOTICE OF STATE TRADING

 

Notice of selling auction for 2,000 MT of imported sugar to stabilize local market

 

Auction Qualifiers

 

Quantity(MT)

Auction Period

Remarks

 

End users

 

2,000

April 2012

Malaysian Refined Sugar in 25 kg paper bag

 

Bidding Notice of Import license for dried red pepper

Commodity

HSK

TRQ Tariff rate

Quantity

Origin

Import Period Due

Sales Period Due

Dried red pepper

0904-21-0000

10%

2,000MT

No restricted

2012.3.31

2012.4.30

 

Notice of recall for red pepper 2,000 MT imported from India due to exceeding chemical residue limits detected by KFDA.

  

  
 

The information in this report was compiled by the Agricultural Trade Office (ATO) at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, South Korea. The press summaries contained herein do NOT reflect USDA, the U.S. Embassy, or other U.S. government agency official policy or view point. U.S. food exporters can learn more about market opportunities in South Korea by reviewing ATO Seoul¡¯s Exporter Guide and other reports available at www.fas.usda.gov by clicking on ¡°attaché reports¡±.

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Agricultural Trade Office, U.S. Embassy - Seoul
Tel: 82-2-6951-6848 Fax: 82-2-720-7921
Email: atoseoul@state.gov