How Will FTAs Help Floriculture Exports?
(Published July 06, 2012)

Gyeonggi FTA Business Center hosts round table discussion about how the floriculture industry can take advantage of FTAs

On the afternoon of July 19^th, the Gyeonggi FTA Business Center (Director: Jang Seok-gi) hosted a discussion forum entitled “How the Floriculture Industry Can Take Advantage of FTAs” in the meeting room of the Goyang Agricultural Technology Center.

The meeting was held to exchange ideas on how to take advantage of FTAs to increase the competitiveness of floriculture exporters, who constitute a specialized industry in Goyang City. The round table included key information about how the floriculture industry can make use of FTAs and a session for sharing opinions about the potential problems facing floriculture exporters working with FTAs. In addition, related aid projects were introduced along with the organization heading them up. Free debate and discussion rounded out the meeting.

Twenty people attended the meeting including Jeong Seok-gi, director of the Gyeonggi FTA Business Center; Song Se-yeong, manager of the farm product distribution team of the Goyang Agricultural Technology Center; coordinators for the Agricultural Policy Department of Goyang City; and representatives of the floriculture industry. In his welcoming remarks, Mr. Jeong said, “FTAs may be unfamiliar and difficult for farmers, but they are a pressing issue today. Farmers who make use of FTAs will be able to flourish.”

“While we had a hard time preparing for the Korea-EU FTA last year, it’s finally here. Now those who are registered as certified exporters can offer around 12% in tariffs and miscellaneous financial benefits to importers, which will bring more orders from importers as well as strengthening your relationships,” said Kim Geon-jung, board chairman for Koduk Green House INC., who attended the meeting. “Through the FTAs, farmers who are exporting can increase their competitiveness on an international scale.”

Choe Eun-hwa, chairperson of the Goyang Export Rose Research Center, also contributed to the discussion. “While we appreciate the tariff benefits the FTAs bring floriculture exporters, a lot of distribution expenses accrue when dealing with regions such as the US and Canada. There is an urgent need for logistical support.”

A representative from the Goyang Agricultural Technology Center, which co-hosted the round table meeting, said, “We didn’t even realize that there was an FTA Center supporting exporters so nearby. After this round table, we have decided to start disseminating information about FTAs so that farmers and import/export firms in the area can become more active overseas.” Along with this, the Goyang Agricultural Technology Center reiterated its appreciation for the Gyeonggi FTA Business Center and its desire for continued support.

The Gyeonggi FTA Business Center is planning to address problem areas in floriculture exports identified by the round table and to establish an educational program to help expand floriculture exports through more proactive engagement with FTAs. In addition, the center is planning to summarize the main points addressed at the round table and forward them to the Gyeonggi Province and Goyang City governments for reflection in future policies.

“The round table helped floriculture exporters and farmers in Gyeonggi Province to more fully understand the FTAs,” Mr. Jeong said. “We will be a dedicated partner for businesses as they make the necessary preparations for ratification of the FTA with Columbia, a major player in the floriculture industry, in the near future.”

For further details about the FTA project, readers can contact the Gyeonggi FTA Business Center at 1688-4684 or visit the webpage of the Gyeonggi Federation of Economic Organizations at http://www.gfeo.or.kr.

Inquiries: Economic Policy Division 031-8008-4575.

http://gnews.gg.go.kr/briefing/brief_gongbo_view.asp?BS_CODE=S017&number=15796