(Yangyang=Yonhap News) Reporter Ryu Ho-jun = This year's Yangyang mushroom auction, which attracted attention by breaking the highest price record ever, has concluded.
According to the Yangyang Sokcho Forest Association on the 30th, the Yangyang mushroom auction was held from September 27 to October 29.
Usually, if the daily purchase amount is 30 kg or less and continues for more than three days, the auction is concluded.
Accordingly, the auction was concluded as the purchase amount fell to 30 kg for three consecutive days from the 27th to the 29th.
The total auction volume for Yangyang mushrooms this autumn was 5,885.27 kg, with the auction amount totaling 1 billion 625 million 100 thousand won.
Compared to last year, the auction volume increased slightly, but the auction amount decreased.
This year, the yield of Yangyang mushrooms was poor due to the effects of late summer heat and drought, causing difficulties in the auction process.
The first auction started about 2 to 3 weeks later than usual years, recording the latest first auction date ever (September 27).
In the last three days before the Chuseok holiday, the auction price for first-grade Yangyang mushrooms was set at 1,611,200 won per kg, breaking the previous highest price.
It surpassed last year's highest price of 1,600,000 won on September 30 by one year.
As the production of Yangyang mushrooms recovered, the Yangyang mushroom festival was held successfully from the 10th to the 12th.
Yangyang Sokcho Forest Association head Jeon Do-young said, "Although the auction volume increased compared to last year, the bidding unit price was low due to the impact of autumn rains on quality, resulting in a decrease in the total auction amount." He also noted, "Compared to previous years, the heat lasted longer, causing the spores to form late, which delayed the auction."