(Yeongdong=Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Hyeong-woo = The auction for hatgotgam (a type of persimmon) has begun in Yeongdong, North Chungcheong, a major persimmon production area. Yeongdong County announced on the 17th that it will auction hatgotgam until February 6 of next year at the collection center of the Sangchon branch of Hwanggan Agricultural Cooperative in Imsan-ri, Sangchon-myeon. The Sangchon branch of Hwanggan Agricultural Cooperative has been operating its own auction site since 1992 to solve the problem of persimmon prices being determined by middle distributors and to stabilize prices. The auction is held on the 1st and 6th of each month (1st, 6th, 11th, 16th, 21st, 26th) to coincide with the market day in Sangchon-myeon. The first auction was held on the 16th, and a total of 10 auctions are scheduled until February 6 of next year. Mainly, 5 kg paper boxes (1 bundle, 100 units) are traded. In the first auction, 560 bundles were up for auction, selling for around 30,000 won per bundle on average. Premium products bid at 74,000 won per bundle. As of last year, 2,116 farms in Yeongdong produced about 9,218 tons of persimmons. The county plans to hold the "Yeongdong Persimmon Festival" from January 30 to February 1 of next year to continue the prestige of the persimmon village. vodcast@yna.co.kr