Yangyang pine mushrooms hit record high prices amid supply shortage

The annual pine mushroom auction in Yangyang, Gangwon Province, has concluded with record-breaking prices. Due to a significant decrease in supply, the highest auction price for grade-1 mushrooms reached 1,711,700 KRW per kilogram on October 4, surpassing previous records.

The auction ended approximately three weeks earlier than last year, concluding on October 8 after daily procurement volumes fell below 30kg for three consecutive days. Total auction volume for the year was 3,870.77kg, totaling approximately 1.5 billion KRW, which represents a decrease of about 2 tons compared to the previous year.

Experts attribute the lower production to insufficient rainfall during the critical growth period. While summer conditions were initially favorable, a lack of moisture following the start of the auction hindered mushroom development. This shortage, combined with steady consumer demand, drove prices to historic highs. The production decline appears to be a broader trend affecting other major production regions as well.