Korea

Green tea from Boseong County, South Korea, has been granted organic certification from the Control Union World Group in the Netherlands, declaring it to conform to additive-free and natural qualities espoused by the European Union, the US Department of Agriculture and Japan Agricultural Standards.

Of 19 green tea farms that applied, 18 were awarded the certification. The certified farms account for 11% of the 1,363 green tea growing farms in Boseong.

Boseong green tea is exported exclusively to the US, but farmers believe the new certification will allow them to penetrate new markets elsewhere

Boseong has signed memorandums of understanding with five companies in Germany and France to export green tea, but the lack of a certification has delayed exports until now.