South Korea ships its first sweet persimmons to China after 17 years

Some deals take a while. This one took 17 years.

On Friday, South Korea sent its first shipment of fresh sweet persimmons to China, the Agriculture Ministry said. The fruit had been stuck in plant quarantine negotiations (the talks that set health rules for imported produce) for nearly two decades.

The shipment totals 19.6 metric tons, packed in 1,960 boxes. It left the Port of Busan and was expected to arrive in Shanghai on Nov. 10.

Local importers in China will distribute the fruit to upscale retailers, including City Super, a high-end chain. Growers, exporters and government officials marked the send-off with a ceremony.

For Korean farmers, the point is simple: a huge new market is now open. Sweet persimmons are a classic autumn fruit in Korea, and China is a lot of potential customers.

After 17 years of waiting, the first boxes are finally on the water.