“It is not easy to find high-quality matsutake mushrooms. The quality is declining, and prices can only go up, so it seems difficult to meet consumer expectations for matsutake mushrooms as gifts this Chuseok.” (A department store product MD)
According to the distribution industry on the 2nd, finding matsutake mushrooms has become as difficult as "picking stars from the sky" due to the wildfires that swept through the Yeongnam region. While not a product that appears on tables daily, it's an urgent matter for product MDs who need to prepare May family month gift sets. Matsutake mushrooms are popular items for Parents' Day and Teachers' Day.
A department store official said, “Initially, after the wildfire, we sought alternatives from other regions, but now there is talk internally that it might be better to assemble gifts using other substitutes instead of matsutake mushrooms.”
This is due to the devastation caused by the wildfire in the area around Guksabong in Yeongdeok, North Gyeongsang Province. Yeongdeok is the largest production area for matsutake mushrooms in the country. Last year, 12,178 kg of matsutake mushrooms were produced in Yeongdeok, of which 60% were harvested from the Guksabong area. According to multiple department store MDs, matsutake mushrooms that used to cost about 1 million won per kg are expected to rise to over 2 million won this fall.
One department store MD noted, “If prices rise that much, it’s impossible to consider the cost of goods.” However, they expressed a sympathetic feeling towards the affected farmers, suggesting that there is a need for innovative solutions. Just as it became a trend to make stamps from jujube trees that survived lightning strikes, we should consider “special marketing” using matsutake mushrooms that survived the wildfires.
Additionally, many forecasts suggest that apple prices will significantly rise this fall. It is not a time to breathe a sigh of relief, thinking that the increase in agricultural product prices is not substantial. The effects of this year's wildfires may become evident around the fall.
The apple production volume in Cheongsong, Gyeongbuk, along with Andong, Uiseong, Yeongju, and Mungyeong accounts for 62% (286,099 tons) of the country's total apple production of 460,000 tons. Jeon Han-young, a Spokesperson for the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, said in an agricultural price briefing that day, “We received reports of damage to 3,000 hectares (30 million square meters) of apple cultivation area due to this wildfire,” adding, “This represents about 9% of the total cultivation area of 34,000 hectares.”
A representative from a major supermarket stated, “Even if some survivors were fortunate enough to escape the flames, it is unlikely that many apples will withstand the summer heat, monsoon season, and fall typhoons for harvesting.” They noted that we may have to use other fruits as substitutes for ritual offerings this fall.
Some major supermarkets are seeking to diversify their sourcing regions. This is necessary to secure high-quality apples for competitive product offerings. A Homeplus representative stated, “We have expanded our transactions to places like Mungyeong, Chungju, and Geochang.” An Emart representative mentioned, “We plan to respond as soon as we assess the damage.”
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, while the directly burnt area reported as damage is limited, there are indirect damages from heat that must be monitored as flowering situations develop. The apple prices for this fall will be determined based on the flowering periods around April 20.
Bae Min-sik, head of the Agriculture and Food Supply Stabilization Support Group, said, “The fortunate thing is that we are still in the pre-bloom stage. We're just seeing new shoots starting to emerge at the tips.” He added, “It is too early to determine to what extent the wildfire will have an impact.”