KAMIS data as of October 7, 2026: domestic ginger 10 kg wholesale and 1 kg retail prices, why October was the cheapest month in each of the last 10 years on average, how to choose ginger for ginger syrup, and harvest, curing and storage decisions for growers.
When the wind turns cold, many Korean households start making saenggang-cheong, a ginger syrup preserve. Once muddy new-crop ginger piles up in markets, the question follows: should we buy a whole 10 kg box? If you remember ginger being expensive last autumn, the decision feels harder. What does new-crop ginger cost this year, and when is the better time to buy?
Bottom line: In the KAMIS survey on October 7, 2026, domestic ginger (top grade, 10 kg) averaged KRW 60,360 at wholesale across five cities, 25% below KRW 80,440 on October 1 a year earlier. Seoul was KRW 61,600. Over 2016–2025, October was the cheapest month of the year for Seoul ginger wholesale prices, and December was higher than October in 7 of those 10 years.
1. What does a 10 kg box of new-crop ginger cost now?
KAMIS surveys domestic ginger sold by wholesale-market intermediaries every trading day in 10 kg units.
| City | Top grade 10 kg (Oct 7) | Top grade 10 kg (Sep 30) | Top grade 10 kg (Oct 1, 2025) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daegu | KRW 70,600 | KRW 70,600 | KRW 78,000 |
| Seoul | KRW 61,600 | KRW 61,600 | KRW 76,600 |
| Gwangju | KRW 60,000 | KRW 63,600 | KRW 91,000 |
| Busan | KRW 55,000 | KRW 66,000 | KRW 75,000 |
| Daejeon | KRW 54,600 | KRW 69,000 | KRW 81,600 |
The five-city average is KRW 60,360, or about KRW 6,000 per kilogram. Most of the movement came last week: between September 30 and October 7, Daejeon fell 21% and Busan 17%, Gwangju 6%. Seoul has held at KRW 61,600 since July, and Daegu did not move. New-crop ginger is reaching each city at a different pace. Daily prices are on /en/prices/ginger/.
Medium-grade 10 kg boxes were KRW 45,000–54,600 on October 7, roughly KRW 10,000 below top grade. For slicing into syrup, uneven medium-grade ginger works fine.
2. What does 1 kg cost at retail?
| City | 1 kg (Sep 2026) | 1 kg (Sep 2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Busan | KRW 18,158 | KRW 16,366 |
| Seoul | KRW 17,178 | KRW 17,203 |
| Daejeon | KRW 16,900 | KRW 17,787 |
| Daegu | KRW 16,403 | KRW 14,657 |
| Gwangju | KRW 11,438 | KRW 14,602 |
The five-city average is KRW 16,015, almost unchanged from KRW 16,123 a year earlier. Wholesale is down 25%, but retail has not followed yet. Seoul’s October 1–7 average was KRW 16,115, 6% below September, so retail is just starting to come down.
Retail includes washing, small packs and distribution, and households cannot buy at wholesale directly. Still, if you use a lot, a 5 kg or 10 kg box from a farm or online seller usually works out cheaper than repeated 1 kg purchases.
3. October was the cheapest month for 10 years.
Setting each year’s average to 100, Seoul’s domestic ginger wholesale index over 2016–2025 is lowest in October at 88.3, then 97.4 in November and 106.2 in December. Prices are pressed down when the new crop arrives all at once, then rise again in winter when stored ginger takes over.
| Year | October avg (Seoul, 10 kg) | December avg | Oct → Dec |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | KRW 23,625 | KRW 22,595 | −4.4% |
| 2017 | KRW 30,250 | KRW 45,000 | +48.8% |
| 2018 | KRW 69,881 | KRW 100,000 | +43.1% |
| 2019 | KRW 51,905 | KRW 63,400 | +22.1% |
| 2020 | KRW 46,105 | KRW 55,000 | +19.3% |
| 2021 | KRW 39,211 | KRW 32,955 | −16.0% |
| 2022 | KRW 62,368 | KRW 90,000 | +44.3% |
| 2023 | KRW 71,421 | KRW 75,000 | +5.0% |
| 2024 | KRW 53,820 | KRW 60,320 | +12.1% |
| 2025 | KRW 64,389 | KRW 60,386 | −6.2% |
In 7 of 10 years, December was higher than October, often by 20–50%. For buyers, that means ginger for syrup or powder has usually been cheaper if bought within October.
4. Choosing ginger for syrup.
Recipes vary by household, so this post does not prescribe how many kilograms you need. What to check when buying is consistent:
- Muddy (unwashed) ginger is cheaper; washed ginger saves work.
- Pick firm roots without soft spots or mold.
- Check origin. At wholesale on October 7, imported medium-grade ginger (KRW 80,600 per 10 kg in Seoul) was more expensive than domestic top grade (KRW 61,600). Imported is not automatically cheaper.
- Seosan in South Chungcheong and Bongdong in Wanju are well-known growing areas. Compare by price per kilogram, since grade and washing change the price.
If you plan to keep ginger at home, note that research found ginger deteriorates quickly from chilling injury at 7℃ and from sprouting at 20℃. Household refrigerators are colder than 7℃, so process a 10 kg box within the week into syrup, slices or minced ginger rather than storing it for months.
5. When should growers harvest and sell?
Harvest time. The Chungnam Agricultural Research and Extension Services spice vegetable research institute says open-field ginger is usually harvested from late October to early November. Ginger for market can be dug right after a hard frost; seed ginger is better harvested earlier to avoid hard frost. The RDA’s Nongsaro guide also says open-field ginger is harvested after frost. Rain-shelter greenhouse ginger can be harvested until late November.
Wholesale prices are already falling in early October, which means early-harvested ginger has started arriving. Volumes will rise further in the main harvest window.
| Option | Fits when | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Sell right after harvest | Many damaged or soft roots, no storage, cash needed now | Low-quality ginger loses more in storage |
| Store and sell later | High top-grade share, curing and cold or cave storage, buyers lined up | December beat October in 7 of 10 years |
| Split sales | Large volume, uncertain direction | December fell in 2021 (−16.0%) and 2025 (−6.2%) |
Storage conditions are demanding. The Chungnam institute recommends curing (healing wounds) at 25℃ and 93% humidity for about 3 days, then storing at 12–14℃ and about 95% relative humidity. Nongsaro describes cave storage typically at 13℃ and 90%+ humidity. If roots start to soften, sell immediately.
How much prices must rise to cover storage costs and losses is worked through in our September post on ginger price and storage strategy. City-by-city net receipts can be compared with the produce market calculator.
6. Checklist
- Domestic top-grade ginger 10 kg wholesale: KRW 60,360 five-city average on October 7, 25% below last year.
- Retail 1 kg: KRW 16,015 five-city average in September, similar to last year; Seoul started falling in October.
- October has been the cheapest month over 10 years. Buy syrup ginger within October.
- Do not assume imported ginger is cheaper. Compare origin and price per kg.
- Process ginger soon after buying instead of refrigerating for months.
- Growers should time harvest around hard frost based on use (market, seed, storage).
- Store only if you can cure for 3 days and keep 12–14℃ with 90%+ humidity.
7. Conclusion
New-crop ginger started this year clearly cheaper than last year: wholesale is 25% lower, and retail is still coming down. With October the cheapest month over the past decade, households making ginger syrup are better off buying a box this month and processing it right away. Growers should recognize that prices are pressed down right after harvest, and store only the top-quality share they can keep properly, selling in stages.
References
- aT KAMIS period wholesale prices (data.go.kr, Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation API): domestic ginger top and medium grade 10 kg, imported medium grade 10 kg, Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Gwangju, Daejeon, September 2025 to October 7, 2026.
- aT KAMIS monthly wholesale and retail prices: domestic ginger top grade 1 kg retail (September 2025 to October 2026, October through the 7th), Seoul ginger 10 kg monthly wholesale averages 2016–2025.
- Seosan Sidae, “Ginger: take care after harvest,” November 1, 2018 (Chungnam Agricultural Research and Extension Services harvest time, curing and storage conditions).
- RDA Nongsaro, ginger harvest and storage technical material (harvest after frost, curing, cave storage temperature and humidity).
- Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology and related ginger storage studies (chilling injury at 7℃, sprouting at 20℃).
- IMUN.FARM /en/prices/ginger/ ginger price page (KAMIS daily wholesale).
- Actual prices vary by region, grade, washing, storage condition and sales channel.