Haegum gold kiwi to be commercially grown in Southern Hemisphere

The Jeonnam Gwangju Agricultural Research and Extension Services has signed an exclusive overseas licensing agreement with Bostock NZ, a global agri-food company based in New Zealand. This agreement facilitates the commercialization of ‘Haegum’, a gold kiwi variety developed by the Jeonnam Gwangju institute, in the Southern Hemisphere.

Under the contract, which can last up to 35 years, Bostock NZ is authorized to produce, sell, and commercially cultivate Haegum seedlings in New Zealand, Chile, and South Africa. The company is also permitted to sell the harvested fruit on the global market. The two parties aim to expand the cultivation area to over 100 hectares in Chile and South Africa by 2038.

This strategic move allows for year-round supply; since the Southern Hemisphere seasons are opposite to those in Korea, Haegum can be supplied during the Korean off-season. This is expected to generate approximately 200 million KRW in annual royalty income once stable commercial production is achieved at scale.