The harvesting of pine mushrooms will begin in earnest at the end of this month. However, production is expected to be lower than in previous years.
On September 23, the Korea Forest Service announced that the total production of pine mushrooms this year is expected to decrease compared to previous years, citing the effects of climate change and large-scale wildfire damage in major production areas.
Pine mushrooms are currently difficult to cultivate artificially and can only be harvested in the wild. In Korea, mountainous regions such as Gangwon Province and North Gyeongsang Province are considered the main production areas for pine mushrooms.
The harvesting period begins about 13 to 16 days after the average soil temperature at a depth of 5 centimeters falls below 19 degrees Celsius. Adequate cumulative rainfall of 500 to 600 millimeters between August and October is also required.
This year, severe drought in the Gangwon region has delayed the emergence of pine mushrooms. In the meantime, since September 22, the forestry cooperatives in Inje and Yanggu counties have started the first pine mushroom auctions, and most regions are expected to begin full-scale auctions at the end of next month.
If optimal growing conditions are maintained, production could increase around the Chuseok holiday. However, the prevailing outlook is that this year's pine mushroom production will be lower than usual due to climate change and large-scale wildfire damage in the main production areas. The auctioned volume of pine mushrooms by the forestry cooperative fluctuated as follows: 124 tons in 2020, 108 tons in 2021, 67 tons in 2022, 165 tons in 2023, and 78 tons in 2024.
Daily Sales Status of Pine Mushrooms by the Forestry Cooperative Over the Past Five Years. Provided by the Korea Forest Service
Since 2001, the Korea Forest Service has been conducting research on artificial production to restore pine mushroom habitats and increase output. As a result, the pine mushroom-inoculated seedling test forest in Hongcheon County has achieved encouraging results, with pine mushrooms appearing every year from 2017 to 2024.
In addition, to help forest owners affected by large wildfires who previously produced pine mushrooms to cultivate promising alternative crops, 32.6 billion won has been allocated in this year's supplementary budget to support the establishment of substitute crops for pine mushrooms.
Kim Yongjin, Director of Private Forest Management and Income at the Korea Forest Service, stated, "This year, large wildfires and drought have deepened the hardships of pine mushroom-producing forest owners. We will continue to promote research and support policies so that the income of these harvesters can stabilize as soon as possible."
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