Apples are suffering from heat and damage, jujubes from anthrax disease...farmers' lamentations due to frequent autumn rains (comprehensive)

(Chungju, Boeun = Yonhap News) Reporter Park Byeong-gi and Kim Hyeong-woo = "I'm worried because it's raining so much, there are many burst fruits, and the apples are not coloring properly."

On the morning of the 16th, in a 3,300㎡ apple orchard in Anlim-dong, Chungju City, North Chungcheong, farmer Im Mo (59) said this while looking up at the overcast sky.

His day begins by rushing to the orchard in front of his house to check if there are any burst fruits without shells.

Seeing burst apples, which have a commercial value of 2-3 per tree, makes him disheartened.

Generally, when it rains a lot, fruit trees absorb excessive moisture, making it easy for the shells to burst. Additionally, if there is insufficient sunlight, the fruit will not color properly and the sugar content will decrease, greatly reducing the commercial value.

Mr. Im said, "Last year was difficult due to the heat, but this year, the excessive rain is a problem," and lamented at the sky, "I come out and manage it from morning, but if it keeps raining like this, all efforts are futile."

The situation in nearby Jecheon, which is also known for its apple farms, is similar to Chungju.

Mr. Sim Mo (50), who operates a 66,000㎡ apple farm in Sinwol-dong, said, "Currently, the apples being cultivated are Manseongjong Busa, which were harvested and stored in a freezer to be shipped around next year's Lunar New Year. However, if the color does not develop before it gets cold, the commercial value will drop significantly, so there is more to worry about than just that."

The rain damage is not limited to apples.

In Goesan, famous for its pickled cabbage, the cabbage farmers are also becoming increasingly worried due to the unrelenting autumn rain.

Cabbage farmer Kim Mo (63) said, "As the kimchi-making season is approaching, diseases such as soft rot have struck all at once. Today, the farmers gathered to discuss what to do, but there is no solution," and expressed his frustration.

In Boeun, jujube farmers are in distress.

Boeun, which accounts for 10% of the national distribution volume, has been famous for jujubes since ancient times.

With the Boeun Jujube Festival, where fresh jujubes can bring in a good income, just one day away, frequent rain has caused black spots on the fruits and the spread of anthracnose, weighing heavily on the farmers' hearts.