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The price of wild Yangyang Songi mushrooms is soaring ahead of Chuseok.

According to the Yangyang-Sokcho Forestry Cooperative on the 28th, the winning bid price for 1kg of first-grade Songi at the auction held on the 21st reached a record high of 1,562,000 KRW.

Wild Yangyang Pine Mushrooms This Fall [Photo by Yonhap News]

Afterwards, the price for first-grade Songi was set at 1,529,900 KRW on the 22nd, 1,437,700 KRW on the 23rd, 1,385,900 KRW on the 24th, 1,433,900 KRW on the 25th, and 1,233,600 KRW on the 26th per kilogram.

Second-grade Songi is also priced between 700,000 and 900,000 KRW per kilogram, and even the lower-grade products are in the 300,000 KRW range. Since these are winning bid prices, the market price, which includes auction fees and merchant margins, is somewhat higher.

The reason for the rising price of Yangyang Songi is attributed to a decrease in production caused by climate change. The average daily harvest used to reach 300 to 400 kg around this time of year, but this year it has remained around 100 kg.

Inje, adjacent to Yangyang, is also experiencing a significant decline in production. The daytime temperature in autumn has approached 30 degrees Celsius, which hinders growth.

Additionally, the increased demand during the Chuseok holiday and the recent rise in the price ceiling for agricultural and marine products and processed gifts from 200,000 KRW to 300,000 KRW for Lunar New Year and Chuseok are also cited as factors driving the price increase.

However, since the production volume itself has decreased, there is growing expectation that the high prices will continue even after the Chuseok holiday this year.

Pine Mushroom [Photo by Yonhap News]

During the peak production season, the average daily harvest used to reach 300 to 400 kg, but on the 21st it was 95.27 kg, 112.6 kg on the 22nd, 100.21 kg on the 23rd, 89.99 kg on the 24th, 52.61 kg on the 25th, and 135.09 kg on the 26th, staying around 100 kg.

A representative from the Yangyang-Sokcho Forestry Cooperative said, "Even in autumn, daytime temperatures reach 28 to 30 degrees Celsius, which prevents growth."

Some residents predict that Songi mushrooms will still appear. Following rain and a drop in temperature on the 26th and 27th, they expect Songi to emerge. On the other hand, residents anticipating poor harvests believe that climate change has damaged spores, preventing reproduction.

With the decline in Songi production, preparations for the Yangyang Songi Festival, a representative autumn festival held from the 4th to the 8th of next month, are also facing challenges.

This year, the core event of the festival, the Songi treasure hunt, will not be held, but considerable expenses will inevitably be spent on Songi tastings and restaurant operations.