Shipments of bananas to South Korea came to 368,000 tons in 2012.Seoul (ANTARA News/Yonhap) - Bananas became the most-consumed imported fruit among South Koreans over the last decade on the back of its popularity here, government data showed Tuesday.
Shipments of bananas to South Korea came to 368,000 tons in 2012, taking up 48.7 percent of the country`s combined fruit imports, according to the data by the Korea Customs Service.
It marked the tenth consecutive year bananas topped the list of fruit imports. South Korea also imported 174,000 tons of oranges, trailed by 73,000 tons of pineapples, 59,000 tons of grapes, and 29,000 tons of kiwi last year.
In 2012, nearly 98.7 percent of banana imports came from the Philippines, and 96 percent of oranges were from the United States. Chile accounted for 79.9 percent of the grape imports, and New Zealand took up 69.6 percent of kiwi imports.
South Korea imported 754,000 tons of fruit worth 1.3 trillion won (US$1.1 billion) last year. Bananas, oranges, pineapples, grapes and kiwi took up 93.1 percent of the country`s fruit imports in 2012.
(T.A045/H-AK)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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