Eco-bundle for pregnant women to expand from 55 to 67 items, adding walnuts, broccoli and perilla leaves

The number of mandatory items in the organic produce bundle supplied to pregnant women will increase from 55 to 67, with popular choices such as walnuts, broccoli and perilla leaves added to the lineup. Starting in early October, a unified online complaint portal will also be set up to handle product-related grievances in one place.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced Wednesday it would expand the range of products supplied under the organic produce bundle program for pregnant women and tighten quality controls.

The program aims to provide pregnant women with nutritious food while securing stable demand for organic produce. Deliveries began July 20, and after one month of operation, the ministry gathered field feedback to draw up improvements.

The ministry will add 12 items to the mandatory supply list, bringing the total from 55 to 67. An item-selection committee convened last Thursday and approved the addition of walnuts, broccoli, perilla leaves and other products that rank highly among pregnant women's preferences.

Going forward, the ministry plans to regularly review sales data with local governments and the Korea Agro-Fisheries and Food Trade Corporation to add or adjust supplied items as needed. Suppliers that have difficulty sourcing organic produce will be given access to production and supply information held by the Korea Organic Farming Association.

A centralized channel for handling product complaints will also be established. A dedicated complaint window will open on Eco-E-Mall, the program's online platform, in early October. Until now, users who encountered problems with bundled products had to contact each supplier individually.

Quality and hygiene controls will also be strengthened. Starting this month, the ministry will conduct on-site inspections of all 29 suppliers in cooperation with the National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service and local governments. Inspectors will focus on whether suppliers meet certification standards for handling organic produce and comply with their contractual obligations, and violators may face contract suspension or other measures depending on the severity of the breach.

The program's operations will be reviewed monthly. The ministry plans to hold regular meetings involving local governments, suppliers and the Korea Organic Farming Association to examine complaint handling, supply conditions by item and price trends.

Lee Si-hye, the ministry's director general for agro-industry innovation policy, said the program "is a precious initiative that connects the health of future generations with the values of organic farming," adding that the ministry would "continue user-centered communication and thorough on-site management so that pregnant women can use the service with confidence and satisfaction."