Hwaseong Songsan Grapes Grown on Reclaimed Tidal Flats... 40 Years of Cultivation Know-how Enhanced with Smart Farm Technology

Hwaseong Produces 2,400 Tons of Grapes Annually
with 1,500 Farms Cultivating 750 Hectares
Songsan Grape Festival to Be Held
at Hwaseong Eco Farm Theme Park on the 5th and 6th
Mayor Jeong Myeonggeun:
“Enjoy the Autumn Atmosphere at the Songsan Grape Festival”

The "Hwaseong Songsan grapes," which originated from reclaimed tidal flats on the West Coast, have grown into a representative grape variety of Korea by integrating 40 years of cultivation experience with information and communication technology (ICT). Hwaseong Special City in Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Jeong Myeong-geun) announced on September 3 that the "12th Hwaseong Songsan Grape Festival" will be held at Hwaseong Eco Farm Theme Park on the 5th and 6th.

Young farmers in Hwaseong are harvesting Songsan grapes. Photo by Hwaseong City

The history of Songsan grapes began in reclaimed land created as a result of the construction of the Sihwa seawall in the late 1980s. At that time, residents of Songsan-myeon and Seoshin-myeon, who made a living through a semi-agricultural, semi-fishing lifestyle, turned to grape cultivation for a new source of income after the construction of the seawall changed their work environment.

With abundant sunlight, sea breezes from the West Coast, wide temperature differences between day and night, and mineral-rich loess soil, the Songsan area became ideal for grape farming. Initially, Campbell Early grapes were mainly grown. However, local farms increased quality and varietal competitiveness by introducing rain shelters and eco-friendly farming practices.

Currently, the region has developed into a year-round grape-producing area, cultivating more than 30 varieties, including Shine Muscat, Beniharada, and Coco Ball. As of last year, the grape cultivation area in Hwaseong covered about 750 hectares, with around 1,500 grape farms. Based on shipments from the Songsan, Seoshin, and Mado agricultural cooperatives, annual production reaches 2,400 tons.

Exports to overseas markets are also active. The export council, made up of over 40 farms, exports about 200 tons of grapes each year to ten countries, including the United States and Southeast Asian nations.

To strengthen the competitiveness of Songsan grapes, Hwaseong City developed Korea's first "outdoor fruit grape smart farm program" in 2015, followed by the establishment of a comprehensive smart farm monitoring system and an ICT information system for grape cultivation.

On local farms, information on environmental factors such as temperature and humidity, as well as growth video data, is collected every 10 minutes. The Agricultural Technology Center analyzes this data to diagnose the growth status by farm and provides tailored consulting. Farmers can remotely control irrigation, ventilation window operation, circulation fans, and nutrient fertilization using their smartphones. Currently, 70 grape farms in the region are using this program.

The SongSan grapes in Hwaseong are ripening beautifully. Photo by Hwaseong City

This year, the city provided a total of 76 on-site consulting sessions, including 48 for regular grape farming and 28 for smart farming. Customized training was also conducted seven times for 819 grape farmers. The city supports exchanges of techniques and information among grape farms, centering on three research societies: the Women’s Grape Study Group, Hwaseong Grape Study Group, and the New Varieties Grape Study Group.

The fruit quality improvement center at Hwaseong City Agricultural Technology Center created a 735.1 square meter demonstration vineyard. Here, 74 vines from 20 different varieties—including Coco Ball, Gold Sweet, Summer Crispy, and Glory Star—are cultivated to analyze characteristics such as growth, sugar content, and maturity. Based on this research, the city plans to identify and distribute high value-added varieties that are resilient to climate change to local farms.

The "12th Hwaseong Songsan Grape Festival," where visitors can experience the history and technology of Songsan grapes, will take place at Hwaseong Eco Farm Theme Park in Seoshin-myeon, Manse-gu, for two days starting on the 5th. Under the theme “A Journey of a Grape Cluster, Hwaseong Songsan Grapes Farm-to-Festa!” the festival is hosted and organized by a committee comprised of grape-producing farmers.

On the first day of the festival, the opening ceremony, congratulatory performances including singer Park Hyunbin, and a citizen singing contest are scheduled. The second day will feature cultural performances and a Taekwondo demonstration. Visitors can also participate in grape stomping and picking experiences, and sample new products developed by young farmers, such as the “Podogalsoo” drink and the “Podogalbbang” dessert.

A special sales booth for freshly harvested grapes will be set up at the temporary Korea Rural Community Corporation parking lot in Gungpyeong-ri, Seoshin-myeon. To support the festival, Hwaseong City has provided KRW 279 million and has taken measures for traffic and safety.

Farmers are harvesting Songsan grapes. Photo provided by Hwaseong City

Mayor Jeong Myeong-geun stated, "Hwaseong Songsan grapes are Hwaseong's finest specialty, a premium local product that combines the sea breeze of the West Coast, the dedication of our farmers, and smart farm technology. Even amid abnormal weather and an aging farming population, we will uphold the reputation of Korea's best grapes through advanced cultivation techniques and quality innovation."

He added, "I hope everyone will visit the '12th Hwaseong Songsan Grape Festival' this weekend, enjoy the sweet grapes, and fully experience the rich atmosphere of autumn."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.