Red kiwis are different from the normal variety not only because of their color, they’re also noticeable sweeter. And as Mike Balfour reports, now is the perfect time to try them - they’re in season. Report
[slug] Wolpyeong-dong, Jeju City
Hanging from vines, ripe kiwi fruit are ready to be picked.
Farmers are satisfied with this year’s harvest.
Normally, green kiwi ripens and is harvested in November.
[slug] Red kiwis in season
But this fruit is red kiwi, named for the color of it’s flesh. As of September, they are in season.
Differening from the more ubiquitous green kiwi, they are harvested two months earlier and there is no fuzz on the skin.
The fruit is an exceptionally rich source of vitamin C, a known anti-oxidant. It containes about 10 times more vitamin C than a lemon.
[slug] Higher sugar content than green kiwis
Right after harvest, the sweetness of red kiwifruit registers around 10 degrees brix, which is 3 to 4 degrees higher than the green kiwi average.
The sale price for red kiwi is set at 4,300 won per kilogram, a lucrative business for red kiwi farmers.
INTERVIEW Park Seong-an / Jeju Agricultural Research & Extension Services Farmers can harvest red kiwis and send them to market earlier than other varieties. Consumers like them because of how sweet they are. Growers can therefore sell them at a good price. <인터뷰 : 박성안/제주농업기술센터 기술보급담당> "레드키위는 다른 키위에 비해 수확이 빠르고 당도가 높아서 소비자 선호도가 높은 편입니다. 때문에 가격 형성도 좋은 편입니다."
Red kiwis have been exported to Malaysia and Singapore since last year.
INTERVIEW Gang Bong-hui / Kiwi grower This is my first harvest of red kiwis and my first time exporting, so I’m really looking forward to it. Being able to export is a huge plus for farmers. <인터뷰 : 강봉희/레드키위 재배농가> "첫 수확이고 처음으로 수출한다고 하니까 굉장히 기대하고 있습니다. 수출이 돼서 농가들도 힘이 납니다."
Jeju produces approximately 150 tons a year - that’s 50 percent of the red kiwis nationwide.
The second most abundant fruit grown in Jeju, red kiwifruit make a significant contribution to the farming economy.
