South Korea Agriculture Films Market Overview, 2030

The agriculture films market in South Korea has developed significantly over the past four decades, driven by the country’s focus on modernizing agriculture, improving crop yields, and supporting high-value horticultural production. Initial adoption began in the 1980s and 1990s with low-density polyethylene (LDPE) films used primarily for mulching in open-field vegetable cultivation, especially in regions such as Gyeonggi-do, Chungcheongnam-do, and Jeollanam-do. These films helped conserve soil moisture, regulate soil temperature, and suppress weeds, improving yields for crops such as peppers, cucumbers, strawberries, and leafy vegetables. During the 1990s and early 2000s, greenhouse farming expanded rapidly in southern and central provinces, supported by EVA/EBA copolymer and multilayer polyethylene films that offered improved light transmission, thermal insulation, and durability, enabling year-round cultivation of high-value crops for domestic consumption and export. Concurrently, the livestock and dairy sectors, particularly in Gyeongsangnam-do and Jeollabuk-do, increased demand for silage films to preserve forage quality and reduce feed spoilage during extended storage periods. Technological advancements, including UV stabilization, multilayer extrusion, and enhanced mechanical properties, have improved film performance and lifespan under South Korea’s diverse climatic conditions. Environmental awareness and government initiatives promoting sustainable agriculture, including subsidies for biodegradable and recyclable films, have further shaped market evolution. Today, South Korea’s agriculture films market reflects a mature and innovation-driven segment, balancing traditional polyethylene usage for cost-effective mulching with advanced greenhouse and silage solutions, supporting high productivity, sustainability, and alignment with national policies aimed at modernizing farming practices and ensuring food security.

According to the research report ""South Korea Agriculture Market Overview, 2030,”published by Bonafide Research, the South Korea Agriculture market is anticipated to grow at more than 9.82% CAGR from 2025 to 2030. The regulatory and environmental framework in South Korea plays a significant role in shaping the agriculture films market, with policies aimed at reducing plastic pollution, promoting sustainability, and encouraging technological adoption. South Korea enforces strict regulations on plastic usage and disposal, requiring proper collection, recycling, and safe disposal of agricultural plastics to minimize soil contamination and environmental hazards. While domestic standards for biodegradable and compostable films are still developing, international frameworks, including EU Green Deal directives, US EPA guidelines, and global best practices, influence manufacturers and importers to adopt certified eco-friendly materials. The government offers subsidies and policy incentives to promote sustainable agricultural practices, including the adoption of advanced greenhouse, mulching, and silage films, particularly those with biodegradable or recyclable properties. Waste management and circular economy initiatives are being strengthened through programs that encourage farmers to return used films to collection centers, enabling recycling into secondary products or safe disposal, thereby reducing environmental impact. Additionally, the South Korean government supports research and innovation in biodegradable and compostable films to align with environmental sustainability targets and reduce reliance on conventional polyethylene. Awareness campaigns and agricultural extension programs further encourage farmers to adopt eco-friendly films while maintaining productivity. Overall, the regulatory and environmental framework in South Korea seeks to balance agricultural efficiency with environmental protection, fostering innovation, recycling, and gradual adoption of sustainable materials in agriculture films, and ensuring that the market aligns with both domestic policies and international sustainability standards.

In South Korea, the agriculture films market is primarily driven by polyethylene-based materials, with low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) dominating due to their affordability, flexibility, and versatility across greenhouse, mulching, and silage applications. LDPE is extensively used in open-field vegetable and fruit cultivation in regions such as Gyeonggi-do, Chungcheongnam-do, Jeollanam-do, and Gyeongsangnam-do, where it helps retain soil moisture, regulate temperature, and suppress weeds, enhancing crop yields for vegetables like peppers, cucumbers, strawberries, and leafy greens. LLDPE is widely adopted for greenhouse coverings and silage films due to its higher tensile strength, puncture resistance, and durability under South Korea’s diverse climatic conditions, which range from cold winters in the north to temperate conditions in the south. High-density polyethylene (HDPE) is utilized in specialized applications requiring rigidity and chemical resistance, such as heavy-duty silage films, protective covers, and irrigation-related infrastructure. EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) and EBA (ethylene-butyl acrylate) copolymers are increasingly used in premium greenhouse films, offering superior light transmission, thermal insulation, elasticity, and UV stability, enabling year-round cultivation of high-value crops. Reclaims, or recycled polyethylene films, are gradually entering cost-sensitive segments such as mulching and silage, supported by recycling initiatives, though performance limitations restrict their use in high-end applications. Other specialty materials, including biodegradable and compostable films, are being adopted slowly in response to government sustainability programs and rising environmental awareness.

In South Korea, agriculture films are extensively applied across greenhouse, mulching, and silage segments, reflecting the country’s emphasis on modernizing agriculture, improving crop productivity, and supporting livestock farming. Greenhouse films account for a significant portion of demand, particularly in regions such as Gyeonggi-do, Chungcheongnam-do, Jeollanam-do, and Gyeongsangnam-do, where controlled-environment agriculture enables year-round cultivation of high-value vegetables, fruits, and flowers for domestic consumption and export. Advanced multilayer polyethylene and EVA/EBA copolymer films are widely used in greenhouses, offering superior light transmission, thermal insulation, UV resistance, and mechanical strength, optimizing growing conditions and enhancing energy efficiency. Mulching films are heavily adopted in open-field cultivation across northern, central, and southern provinces, helping conserve soil moisture, regulate temperature, and suppress weed growth, thereby improving yields and reducing irrigation requirements for crops such as peppers, cucumbers, strawberries, leafy vegetables, and root crops. The adoption of biodegradable mulching films is gradually increasing, driven by government incentives, environmental regulations, and rising awareness among farmers, though conventional polyethylene remains dominant due to cost considerations. Silage films are critical in livestock-intensive regions such as Gyeongsangnam-do, Jeollabuk-do, and Chungcheongnam-do, where preserving forage quality, minimizing spoilage, and maintaining livestock nutrition during storage are essential. Farmers increasingly use multilayer silage wraps and oxygen barrier films to improve durability, storage life, and protection against climatic conditions. Overall, South Korea’s agriculture films application landscape demonstrates a strategic balance: greenhouse films support high-value, technologically advanced cultivation; mulching films optimize open-field productivity and resource efficiency; and silage films ensure livestock feed preservation, collectively sustaining agricultural productivity, efficiency, and regulatory compliance.

Considered in this report
• Historic Year: 2019
• Base year: 2024
• Estimated year: 2025
• Forecast year: 2030

Aspects covered in this report
• Agriculture Films Market with its value and forecast along with its segments
• Various drivers and challenges
• On-going trends and developments
• Top profiled companies
• Strategic recommendation

By Material
• LDPE
• LLDPE
• HDPE
• EVA/EBA
• Reclaims
• Others

BY Application
• Green house
• Mulching
• Silage Show more