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Smart farms grow mangoes locally as Koreans go bananas for tropical fruits

Published: 02 Aug. 2025, 07:00 Updated: 07 Aug. 2025, 14:40

Papayas are seen at a smart farm in Pocheon, Gyeonggi. Shinsegae Department Store signed a contract with this farm and introduced locally grown papayas for the first time at its Shinsegae Market in its Gangnam branch in southern Seoul, in February. [SHINSEGAE DEPARTMENT STORE]

Who needs Hawaii when you’ve got high-tech hothouses? Korea’s smart farms are making papayas and mangoes a local affair, as tropical fruits go upscale to meet growing appetites for premium, homegrown produce.

Advancements in cultivation technology such as smart farms are building a foundation for producing subtropical crops domestically, and in line with growing consumer demand, the premiumization of locally grown tropical fruits is also accelerating.

Lotte Department Store recently signed a contract with a farm that has grown the Thai Maha Chanok mango — also known as “rainbow mango” — for the first time in Korea, according to industry sources on Sunday. This variety is rare even in its native region due to strict growing requirements and a short harvesting period.

In February, Shinsegae Department Store introduced domestically grown papaya from Pocheon, Gyeonggi, for the first time in its opening of the Shinsegae Market Gangnam branch. Hyundai Department Store also brought in a range of domestic tropical fruits such as apple mangoes from Yeonggwang, South Jeolla, and lychees from Jeju Island to its food hall.

“Domestic apple mango sales more than doubled year-on-year this year,” said a Hyundai Department Store representative. “We’ve expanded sourcing from Jeju to Yeonggwang County, South Jeolla, to stabilize supply.”

The area of subtropical fruit cultivation in Korea increased from 109.5 hectares (270 acres) in 2017 to 221.1 hectares in 2023 — more than doubling in eight years, according to a report from the Rural Development Administration.

Domestically produced apple mangoes are seen displayed at the food section of a Hyundai Department Store branch. [HYUNDAI DEPARTMENT STORE]

As domestic production of tropical fruits increases, retailers are pursuing strategies to diversify production regions, maintain freshness and release rare varieties.

“To produce tropical fruits stably, advanced technologies such as smart farms and environmental control systems are essential,” said Lee Jeong-won, chief produce buyer at Lotte Department Store. “The expertise and advanced farming techniques of domestic fruit growers offer an effective response to climate change.”

“To meet long-term demand for premium tropical fruits, we are focusing not only on contract cultivation and diversification of growing regions but also on developing new varieties,” said a Hyundai Department Store representative, noting that the company is actively collaborating with research institutions to develop new varieties and enhance competitiveness.

The biggest advantages of domestically grown tropical fruits are quality retention and reduced logistics costs. Rare tropical fruits with short harvesting periods are in high demand, but imported ones often suffer quality degradation during storage and transport and are limited by high overseas logistics costs. In contrast, domestically grown fruits can be delivered the same day, preserving farm-level freshness.

This year, rare and premium domestic tropical fruits account for 15 to 20 percent of Lotte Department Store’s overall fruit category — a roughly 10 percentage point increase in recent years.

Gift sets are displayed at the Daegu Department Store Plaza branch in Daegu on Jan. 13, ahead of the Lunar New Year holidays. [YONHAP]

While seasonal fruits used to dominate consumer preferences, demand for domestically grown tropical fruits has been steadily rising regardless of season, according to industry sources.

“Imported rare fruits are harvested before ripening due to limited growing periods, making it difficult to maintain freshness,” said a Shinsegae Department Store representative. “Domestically grown fruits can be harvested at peak quality and delivered directly to consumers.”

Department stores plan to further expand supply in line with demand for premium tropical fruits.

“We plan to introduce rainbow mangoes, lychees grown in Gimhae, and passion fruits currently cultivated in Gumi, Damyang and Goseong later this year,” a Lotte Department Store representative said.

“As cultivation technologies such as smart farms evolve, we are experimenting with growing a variety of foreign crops, including Amalfi lemons,” added a Shinsegae representative.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY NOH YU-RIM [[email protected]]