Watermelon prices in South Korea are climbing sharply even before summer begins in earnest, as climate-driven early heat has pulled demand forward by more than a month compared with previous years.
The average retail price of a single watermelon recently reached the 29,000 won range, up nearly 25% from the same period last year, according to the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT) on Sunday. Earlier this month, the average transaction price climbed as high as 30,400 won at some retail channels.
Price levels typically seen only during the peak summer heat of July and August, when demand spikes due to heatwaves, are emerging this year as early as the start of May.
The trend reflects an unusually early hot spell driven by extreme weather. Last month's nationwide average temperature was the third-highest on record since the Korea Meteorological Administration began tracking the data, with early-summer conditions persisting throughout the period.
Watermelon, a heat-loving crop, normally sees prices fall as temperatures rise and shipments increase. This year, however, consumption surged before supply could ramp up, creating a supply-demand imbalance. Current market supply is limited to a few southern growing regions, including Gochang in North Jeolla Province and Haman in South Gyeongsang Province, and has been unable to keep pace with the rapid jump in consumption.
Supply instability among other fruits that would normally serve as substitutes is also pushing watermelon prices higher.
Korean melon (chamoe) supply has experienced a temporary gap between the first harvest and the next shipment period, while imports of oranges, kiwis and other foreign fruits have fallen sharply due to poor overseas crop conditions and rising global shipping costs. With fewer choices available, consumers have shifted toward watermelon, adding further pressure on prices, analysts said.
The government and economic research institutes expect supply to ease and prices to gradually stabilize starting in June, when production areas diversify to include Gangwon and Chungcheong regions.
However, given that watermelon prices jumped more than 27% year-on-year in July last year amid a record heatwave — creating a "gold watermelon" phenomenon — this summer's weather conditions are expected to be the biggest variable in the price outlook.
