South Korea Table Grape Market - Strategic Insights and Forecasts (2026-2031)

The South Korean Table Grape Market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 3.3% over the forecast period, increasing from USD 0.80 billion in 2026 to USD 0.94 billion by 2031.

The table grape market is a key part of South Korea's horticultural sector, supported by high-quality domestic crop production, strong consumer demand for good-quality table grapes, and government programs that increase agricultural productivity and exports. Korea has been growing table grapes for hundreds of years, and they can be enjoyed fresh or in many other forms, including juice, wine, jam, and a variety of foods. In recent years, table grape production has transitioned from traditionally grown varieties to premium table grape varieties to meet changing consumer preferences and help farmers improve their production practices.

Well-known grape varieties such as Campbell Early, Kyoho, and Shine Muscat are grown worldwide. Consumers select these grapes based on their sweetness, texture, and suitability for consumption as fresh fruit. Premium grape varieties such as Shine Muscat have very high demand both domestically and internationally due to their seedless nature and high sugar content. In addition to supporting the aforementioned grape production, domestic grape consumption is also a significant portion of South Korea's overall table grape market, as grapes are available all year round during the “in-season” periods. As vendors bring new table grape variety offerings to market and advances in agricultural technology improve grape production efficiency, the South Korean table grape market will continue to grow.

South Korea’s table grape sector is showing continued structural development, supported by stronger export performance, variety diversification, and improvements in production and quality-management practices. Official data from the Rural Development Administration (RDA) indicate that South Korea exported 9,808.8 metric tons of grapes worth US$85.4 million in 2025, with shipments reaching 28 countries. Taiwan accounted for 52.3% of exports, followed by the United States at 13.3%, Hong Kong at 7.5%, and Vietnam at 6.7%. This expansion provides an important outlet for domestic grape growers while strengthening the country’s position in premium fresh-fruit trade.

The sector is also moving beyond its heavy dependence on Shine Muscat. In April 2026, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) announced plans to expand Korean-developed grape varieties, including Glorista, Cocoball, Red Claret, Hongju Seedless, and Ruby Sweet, to extend the export season and provide overseas consumers with greater variety. In 2025, exports of new Korean varieties across grapes, strawberries, pears, and paprika reached US$3.58 million from 590 tons, while the government targeted at least 10% growth in these exports during 2026.

Recent developments are also improving the sector’s access to international markets. In April 2025, South Korea secured approval to export Shine Muscat grapes to Australia, subject to specified phytosanitary requirements, creating an additional overseas channel for domestic growers. In July 2026, the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency further reported that negotiations had been completed to allow all Korean grape varieties to be exported to Australia under the applicable requirements, expanding the opportunity beyond the previously permitted varieties.

Production competitiveness is being reinforced through cultivar innovation and technical support. In February 2026, the Gyeongsangbuk-do Agricultural Research & Extension Services issued cultivation guidelines for Glory Star, a late-season red grape designed for high-quality production and better performance under high-temperature conditions. Meanwhile, in August 2026, RDA announced the commercial launch of Cocoball, a domestically developed grape with thin skin, crisp texture and a measured sweetness of 19.4°Brix under open-field rain-shelter cultivation. These developments indicate that South Korea’s grape industry is increasingly focused on premium quality, differentiated varieties, longer marketing windows, and export competitiveness rather than relying solely on volume growth.

Market Dynamics

Market Drivers

• Rising Consumption of Fresh Fruits and Grapes

Overall growth of South Korea's table grape market can be attributed to the steady increase in consumption of all types of fresh fruit, including grapes. As consumers have become more conscious of the importance of eating well and adopting new dietary habits, they are also looking for alternative ways to incorporate more fresh fruits into their daily meals.

Furthermore, with urban consumers increasingly demanding convenient and pre-packaged foods that also provide nutritional value, the popularity of fresh fruit such as grapes continues to grow as consumers recognise them for their natural sweetness and abundance of vitamins and antioxidants compared to many packaged foods. Healthier dietary choices have also been promoted through government-sponsored campaigns such as the Korean Government’s Healthy Eating Program, which encourages all Koreans to consume more fruits and vegetables (in addition to receiving balanced meals).

Overall, due to rising health consciousness, changes in dietary habits, and the increased availability of fresh fruit, total fruit consumption in South Africa is growing, with the table grape market also expected to experience increased demand.

Market Segmentation

By Application: Fresh Consumption

Based on application, the South Korean table grape market is divided into fresh consumption, jams & jellies, fruit juices, bakery products, and others. The growing wellness trend in South Korea is impacting consumers’ food choices with a preference towards healthy options, including varied fruit varieties, gaining traction. Hence, table grapes, filled with antioxidants, vitamins, and fiber, offer various health benefits, owing to which their usage as key diet ingredients is expected to grow in the country.

Likewise, the improvement in living standards, followed by an increase in urban population, has provided a major push for food consumption in South Korea, further boosting the consumption scale of fresh table grapes. According to the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, which issued “World Urbanization Prospects 2025, the nearly 60.4% of the country’s population resided in cities, while 26.5% resided in towns.

Additionally, the improved disposable income in Korea has positively impacted the consumption scale of fresh produce, thereby uplifting the overall market growth for high-quality table grapes in the country. According to data from the Ministry of Data and Statistics, in Q4 2025, the average household income reached 93,560 Won, marking a 5.39% growth over Q4 2024. Additionally, the same source stated that the average household consumption expenditure on food & soft drinks also experienced 2.15% growth in the same quarter.

Furthermore, the ongoing lifestyle changes emphasized by the transition towards high convenience have altered the eating format of Koreans, with a preference for easy-to-eat products witnessing a steady growth. Table grapes fit perfectly under such criteria, especially among the younger generation who are more inclined towards ready-to-eat food options. Social media influence and a constant pursuit of exotic varieties of table grapes are further driving its growth in the Korean market.

Regional Analysis

By Region: Gyeongbuk

Based on region, the South Korean table grape market is segmented into Gyeongbuk, Chungbuk, Chungnam, Gyeonggi Province, Jeollabuk-do, and others. Gyeongbuk remains a leading regional market for table grapes in South Korea, supported by its dominant cultivation base, strong production capabilities, established export infrastructure, development of premium domestic varieties, and expanding access to overseas markets. Official data from the Gyeongsangbuk-do Provincial Government and the Rural Development Administration confirms that Gyeongbuk is the country’s largest grape-producing region, with 8,206 hectares under grape cultivation in 2024, equivalent to 56% of South Korea’s total grape-growing area. The region also accounted for approximately 78% of the country’s grape export volume, highlighting its importance to South Korea’s table grape export ecosystem.

The region’s export performance has strengthened its position further. According to the Gyeongsangbuk-do Provincial Government, Gyeongbuk’s grape exports reached USD 44.28 million in 2024, increasing from USD 35.40 million in 2023 and representing the region’s highest recorded export value at that time. Gyeongbuk accounted for 78.7% of South Korea’s total grape export value in 2024, confirming its role as the country’s principal grape-exporting region. Major export destinations included Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, the United States, and Canada, demonstrating the region’s increasingly diversified overseas market presence.

Gyeongbuk’s production base also provides a strong foundation for premium table grape cultivation. Of the region’s total grape-growing area, 4,829 hectares, or about 59%, were associated with the region’s dominant cultivation structure, while Shine Muscat continued to account for around 90% of export varieties. This concentration has encouraged provincial authorities and agricultural researchers to accelerate varietal diversification, improve quality, strengthen branding, and reduce dependence on a single grape variety. The Rural Development Administration reported in August 2025 that Gyeongbuk had developed eight new grape varieties over approximately a decade, targeting differences in fruit colour, flavour, aroma, texture, storage characteristics, and consumer preferences.

Innovation in premium and seedless varieties is therefore becoming an important growth factor for the regional table grape market. Among the varieties receiving particular attention are Red Claret, Gold Sweet, Glorista, and Ruby Sweet. These varieties are being positioned as alternatives to the highly concentrated Shine Muscat production structure and are intended to provide consumers and overseas buyers with greater choice. Gyeongbuk has also been expanding the cultivation base for locally developed varieties. By 2024, four new varieties, including Red Claret and Glorista, had been supplied across more than 120 hectares in 12 cities and counties, while the province has established a longer-term objective of expanding new-variety cultivation to 624 hectares by 2030 and increasing their share of grape cultivation to 8%.

Export-market development is another important driver. In July 2025, Gyeongsangbuk-do Agricultural Research and Extension Services conducted trial exports of Red Claret and Gold Sweet to Singapore and Thailand, specifically targeting premium consumer segments and evaluating overseas market acceptance. The initiative is intended to diversify export varieties and strengthen the competitiveness of locally bred grapes beyond Shine Muscat.

The region also continued to expand conventional grape exports in 2025. In June 2025, Gyeongsangbuk-do reported the first shipment of the 2025 grape crop, with 200 kg of Kyoho grapes from Gimcheon exported to Malaysia, marking a new market-development step in Southeast Asia. The provincial government highlighted the region’s sweetness, storage characteristics, and consistent quality as important attributes supporting its premium positioning overseas.

At the national level, the outlook for Gyeongbuk’s table grape industry is further supported by South Korea’s broader export diversification strategy. In March 2026, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs reported that Korean grape exports reached a record USD 85 million in 2025, with Shine Muscat still representing more than 90% of grape exports. The ministry is now supporting the expansion of new varieties, including Glorista, Cocoball, Red Claret, Hongju Seedless, and Ruby Sweet, while pursuing greater access to markets such as the United States, Canada, and Russia. These initiatives are expected to support premiumization, extend export opportunities across different harvesting periods, and strengthen the competitiveness of Gyeongbuk’s table grape industry in international markets.

List of Companies

• Korea Grape Export Association

• Seoul Shine

• Gongju Shine Muscat Farm

• Montague Farms

• SNFL Group

Seoul Shine is a high-end grape brand that specializes in distributing premium Korean Shine Muscat table grapes that originate from South Korean agricultural areas. The company produces top-quality fruit through its strict safety procedures, professional growing methods, and thorough product testing, enabling it to achieve specific sweetness, size, and appearance standards for its grape clusters. The premium quality system enables precise selection and grading of grapes, whose distribution requires cold-chain packaging to preserve their freshness and product quality.

The company showcases the sensory characteristics of its Shine Muscat grapes, which produce powerful sweetness together with their crisp skin and juicy flesh, and their unique floral scent that resembles muscat wine. These seedless grapes are cultivated in the Sangju region of South Korea, which provides ideal conditions for grape production. The company ships harvested grapes through air logistics within 48 hours, which helps maintain their original freshness, thereby establishing itself as a top-quality table grape provider for the South Korean market and its export operations.

Key Developments:

• March 2026: South Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) expanded support for domestically developed red grape varieties like Glorista and Cocoball to diversify premium markets.

• January 2026: South Korea officially opened its import market to South African table grapes, following over two decades of bilateral technical negotiations and strict phytosanitary field inspections.

• November 2025: Regional cooperatives in South Korea initiated structured export scaling of premium Shine Muscat grapes to Taiwan, marking increased international commercialization efforts and formalized export channels for high-grade table grapes from Geochang and Yeongju production zones.

• October 2025: The Rural Development Administration initiated full-scale commercial distribution of three new domestic grape varieties, Cocoball, Shooting Star, and Hongju Seedless, to reduce market reliance on Shine Muscats.

South Korea Table Grape Market Scope: