South Korea: Demand for seedlings increases amid strong apple prices, a precious treat

There is a surge in apples in the seedling market this year. As apple prices continued to rise due to natural disasters such as abnormally low temperatures and hail last year, demand for seedlings appears to have also increased rapidly. Iwon Seedling Market in Okcheon, North Chungcheong Province, one of the largest seedling markets in Korea, recently opened. With the number of farmers looking to purchase apple saplings continuing, the number of farmers seeking apple saplings has increased significantly this year. Kim Cheol-gi, CEO of Green Nursery Farm at Iwon Nursery Market, said, “Apple prices are higher than any other year, and this appears to be due to the influence of recent related news in various media.” He added, “The aftermath of last year’s damage is expected to continue until this year, so the popularity of apple seedlings will continue for the time being.” “I think it will happen,” he predicted. Market officials estimate that demand for apple seedlings has increased by ...