Local farmers earned a lot from growing bananas in the early 1990s. They became a less profitable source of income in the mid-90s when imports hit the scene. Now, though, the situation has come full circle - growers are again focusing on the yellow fruit. Joseph Kim reports.




Report

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Sangye-dong, Seogwipo

It’s steaming inside the greenhouse.

Farmers are carefully picking bananas.

Prices of domestically grown bananas are set between 5,000 and 6,000 won per kilogram.

A plant produces about 30 kilograms of bananas, which makes banana farming highly profitable.

The tree grows very fast.

It only takes about 7 months to fruit.

INTERVIEW
Gang Gyeong-sik / Banana grower
I have chosen bananas because the fruit can be harvested a year after planting. It requires little care. I, alone, come to my greenhouse once a week to take care of them.
<인터뷰 강경식/농가>
"일년이면 수확을 볼 수 있기 때문에 선택했고, 이 것(바나나)은 인건비가 거의 안듭니다. 혼자서 해도 한가하게 일주일에 한번씩만 보면됩니다."

The price of domestically grown bananas plummeted when the nation started to import foreign produce.

As the price of imported bananas have risen recently, the price gap between imported and domestic varieties have narrowed.

Also, safer, domestically grown bananas have become popular amongst consumers.

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Banana cultivation area grows 500% over 3 years

Two years ago only 2 farmers had 1 hectare of banana green houses in Jeju. Currently, 10 farmers grow the fruit on 5.5 hectares.

INTERVIEW
Go Seung-chan / Jeju Agricultural Research and Extension Services
Bananas have a high rate of return. The price gap between imports and domestic fruit has narrowed. An increasing number of consumers are choosing Jeju bananas.
<인터뷰 고승찬/道 농업기술원 아열대과수담당>
"같은 가격이라도 소득이 많이 오르고, 수입산과 가격차이가 과거보다 덜 나기 때문에 제주산을 찾는 소비자가 늘고 있습니다,"

However, heating costs are a burden to the banana growers.

Once the flower blooms, the temperature should be higher than 20 degrees Celsius until harvest.

However, the fruit is harvested all year round and the plant is disease-resistant.

[Reporter] Joseph Kim
[Camera] Hyeon Gwang-hoon

The once neglected yellow fruit has regained its popularity amongst a growing number of farmers on the island.

Joseph Kim, KCTV