15,000 Won per Pack... What Is Happening to the Seasonal Fruit 'Strawberry'?

Early Cold Wave Causes Seedling Death and Poor Harvest in Main Production Areas
Supply Volume Drops Over 30%... Prices Continue Soaring

"Usually, prices drop a bit after Christmas, but this time a cold wave hit right away. Over the weekend, the price for one pack went up by 3,000 to 4,000 won at once." (D, owner of a fruit store in Ahyeon-dong, Mapo-gu)

Strawberries, a representative seasonal fruit in winter, have become as precious as gold this year. A 500g pack is being sold at local fruit stores for 10,000 to 12,000 won, and strawberries branded by supermarkets are priced between 14,000 and 15,000 won. According to the Seoul Agricultural and Marine Products Corporation on the 31st, the average wholesale price of Seolhyang strawberries (premium grade, 2kg box) at the Garak-dong Agricultural and Marine Products Wholesale Market was 45,376 won, a 67% increase compared to the same period last year (27,160 won). The price of strawberries (500g) at a major supermarket also surged 15% from 9,980 won in early December to 11,500 won in the fourth week of December. This is 44% higher than 7,980 won during the same period last year.

The sharp rise in strawberry prices is due to a significant reduction in supply caused by early cold waves last month that killed the seedlings. Earlier, from mid-September to mid-October this year, temperatures were considerably higher than usual, which caused severe damage to strawberry seedlings from viruses such as anthracnose, wilt disease, and blight. Even until early November, the mild early winter weather caused strawberries to grow quickly, resulting in many overripe strawberries before they fully matured, leading to a shortage of marketable strawberries.

Additionally, the early cold wave in late November caused seedling damage in some regions, leading to a supply shortage just before the strawberry peak season for Christmas cakes and parties in December. Not only in Sancheong, Gyeongnam, a major strawberry producing area, but also in Nonsan, Chungnam, and Damyang, Jeonnam, the crop conditions were poor, resulting in an estimated overall decrease in volume by more than 30% compared to previous years. Usually, prices drop slightly after Christmas, but this year, the unprecedented cold wave caused cold damage to many farms, making the nationwide crop conditions unstable.

Strawberry prices are expected to remain high for the time being next year as well. Lee Jae-hee, an auctioneer at Garak Market Central Fruit and Vegetable Wholesale Market, said, "The timing coincides with a gap between the end of the first harvest (1st picking) in early December and the start of the second harvest, which reduced supply. Supply is expected to normalize around mid-January, but prices will rise again due to increased demand for Lunar New Year gift consumption, maintaining a higher level compared to last year."

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