Can Subtropical Fruit Trees Grow in the Northernmost Region? Pocheon City Introduces Tangerine Pilot Project

(Pocheon=Yonhap News) Reporter Woo Young-sik = Pocheon City, the northernmost border city in Gyeonggi Province, announced on the 11th that it is promoting a pilot project to introduce subtropical fruit trees in order to discover alternative income crops in response to climate change.

Currently, Pocheon City is conducting a pilot cultivation of tangerines (Haryeo early variety) in a 0.5-hectare facility, investing a total project cost of 100 million won, with technical support from the Rural Development Administration and Gyeonggi Agricultural Research Institute, targeting local farms with connected greenhouses.

The pilot project focuses on demonstrating the possibility of tangerine cultivation under northern region climate conditions and securing basic data on growth characteristics.

The pilot farm is also equipped with underground piping, air circulation fans, and movable up and down mist spray facilities to reduce energy consumption and stabilize growth.

Pocheon City plans to expand step-by-step technical support from facility management to cultivation and harvesting in cooperation with related organizations, and expects to see the results of the pilot project as early as 2027.

An official from the Pocheon City Agricultural Technology Center said, "This will be an opportunity to confirm the possibility of subtropical fruit tree cultivation and creating a cultivation environment," adding, "We will continue technical support based on field cultivation experience and accumulated data."

wyshik@yna.co.kr