Chinese garlic exporters appeal to S Korean president over rights   

中国大蒜遭退货 蒜农致信韩总统：请给个交代

(ECNS) - Garlic exporters in Lanling county of East China's Shandong province have published an open letter to South Korean President Park Geun-hye for help after their shipments to the country were rejected last month, the Beijing Youth Daily reported Wednesday.

About 2,200 metric tons of garlic shipped by Lanling exporters to South Korea have been returned due to quality issues and some of the shipments remain at Qingdao port, amounting to a total loss of more than 10 million yuan ($1.59 million) for exporters.

Local farmers denied that the garlic shipments had quality problems after a comprehensive inspection by South Korea's Agro-Fisheries Trade Corp (KAFTC), and are insisting on an objective reply from the South Korean Embassy.

The open letter says "our hard-earned money is wasted and we live in difficulty. China's traditional Spring Festival is coming, but our parents and family members dissolve into tears every day. We really wish you could feel our huge losses and agony and coordinate to give us an answer."

Their situation may be difficult, however, as they will have to go to Korea to undergo the legal process, the nation's Commerce Ministry says.

A garlic exporter named Song says he sold one sixth of his 600 metric tons of garlic after the shipment was returned to the province with the help of the local government. But some shipments are still stuck at Qingdao port due to a lack of funds.

Zhang, another Lanling-based garlic exporter, says "the price we fixed with Korea was 2.7 yuan, but the returned garlic only sells for 2.1 yuan, which is too heavy a loss to bear."

Many kind-hearted residents have called and offered to help farmers sell the garlic shipments through online sales platforms.

Some foreign trade experts have also announced that they are willing to lend their professional services to ensure the legal rights of the exporters.