Fruit Prices Rise Again Ahead of Chuseok... Wholesale Apple and Pear Prices Up 30-40%

More Than 10,000 Won Higher Than Last Year’s Chuseok Peak Season
Poor Growth and Delayed Shipments Due to Heat Waves and Heavy Rains
Supply Expansion Expected Later This Month, Wholesale Prices Likely to Drop
Large Retailers Release Pre-Sto

As the heatwave and heavy rains have subsided, fruit prices, which had been on a downward trend, are rising again ahead of the Chuseok holiday next month. Wholesale prices for apples and pears, which are popular choices for ceremonial offerings, remain higher than average. This is due to delayed shipments caused by slower growth resulting from recent climate conditions. However, as the peak holiday season approaches, supply is expected to increase. Retailers are also expanding their fruit inventory to stabilize prices.

A customer is selecting apples at a large supermarket in downtown Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

According to KAMIS, the agricultural and fisheries product distribution information service operated by the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT), the wholesale price for apples (standard grade) as of September 5 was 69,437 won per 10 kilograms, up 17% from the same period last year. This is 51% higher than the average price, excluding the highest and lowest prices over the past three years.

Last year, Chuseok fell in mid-September, making this period a peak season for fruit demand. However, at that time, the price for apples of the same variety and weight was 59,335 won, more than 10,000 won lower than this year. The wholesale price for apples, which soared to 85,000 won in early August, stabilized to the mid-60,000 won range as autumn approached, but is now heading back toward 70,000 won.

Additionally, the wholesale price for mid-grade apples (10 kilograms) last week was 50,881 won, 33.5% higher than a year earlier. For pears, a 15-kilogram box (standard grade) was 51,006 won, a 44% increase from the same period last year. The price for mid-grade pears was 36,528 won, up 37.2%. Compared to early September last year, the wholesale price for pears (standard grade) is about 15,000 won higher. Since wholesale prices typically affect retail prices with about a one-week lag, the increase may be reflected in apple and pear prices by this weekend or early next week. As of the previous day, the retail price for 10 Hongro apples (standard grade) was 30,059 won, 17.6% higher than the same period last year.

A notice about Chuseok gift sets is posted at Lotte Mart Seoul Station branch in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

The Agricultural Outlook Center of the Korea Rural Economic Institute pointed out that since July, repeated heatwaves and heavy rains have led to increased physiological disorders in apples and pears, and that smaller fruit size by variety has delayed the harvest. However, it expects that from around September 22, about two weeks before Chuseok, shipments of apples and pears will increase by 6.5% and 7.2%, respectively, leading to a drop in wholesale prices.

Large supermarkets have also increased supply to stabilize apple and pear prices ahead of Chuseok. For example, Emart has been accepting pre-orders for Chuseok gift sets from August 18 to September 26, and as of September 4, the top four best-selling fruit sets over 18 days were all apple and pear products priced under 50,000 won.

The best-selling product during this period, "Famous Origin Apples (3.6kg, 11 pieces)," is being sold at 49,800 won, the same price as last Chuseok, thanks to advance purchasing. Other sets, such as "Apple & Pear VIP (apples 1.8kg/6 pieces, pears 2.3kg/4 pieces)," "Sugar-Selected Apples (apples 3.3kg, 12 pieces)," "Famous Origin Pears (6.5kg, 7-9 pieces)," and "Naju Traditional Pears (6.5kg, 7-9 pieces)" are all priced in the 30,000 to 40,000 won range. An Emart representative explained, "We are countering rising prices through advance stockpiling and integrated purchasing."

Additionally, Lotte Mart is offering apple and pear sets with Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certification in the 30,000 to 40,000 won range, including discounts, while Homeplus is selling GAP-certified apple and pear sets in the 40,000 to 50,000 won range.

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