A farmer-facing September apple price outlook using KAMIS wholesale prices and the KREI August 2026 fruit outlook, with separate notes for Hongro, Arisoo, and Fuji apples.
September Apple Price Table by Variety: Hongro, Arisoo, and Fuji
September apple prices in Korea are closely tied to Chuseok demand. For farmers, the practical questions are simple. Should Hongro be shipped early. Should Arisoo be separated for direct sales. How should Fuji be handled before the main late-season market begins.
As of August 25, 2026, the overall direction is clear. KREI expects 2026 apple production and September shipments to increase from last year. That means average prices should be viewed conservatively. However, gift-grade fruit with good color, size, and sweetness can still defend price before Chuseok.
Bottom line: September apples may face weaker average prices because of larger supply, but well-sorted gift-grade fruit can still hold value. The price gap between premium fruit and mid-grade fruit may widen.
1. Main data sources
This article uses two official data sources.
The first is aT KAMIS agricultural price information. KAMIS provided apple wholesale prices by variety and grade for August 24, 2026. When checked on August 25, some same-day prices were blank, so the latest date with actual apple price values was used.
The second is the KREI Agricultural Outlook Center’s 「Fruit Outlook, August 2026」. It was published on August 4, 2026 and covers apple production, shipments, and price direction.
The key numbers are:
- 2026 apple production forecast: 487 thousand tons
- Change from last year: up 8.7%
- September apple shipment forecast: 70.1 thousand tons
- Change from last year: up 2.2%
- Change from normal-year level: up 10.4%
- KREI August Hongro wholesale price outlook: around 65,000 KRW/10kg for premium grade
In plain terms, this is not a shortage-driven price spike year. The first assumption should be larger supply and softer average prices.
2. Late-August KAMIS apple wholesale prices
The table below uses KAMIS wholesale price data for August 24, 2026. The unit is 10kg.
| Variety | Grade | Aug. 24 price | One year ago | Normal year | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hongro | Premium | 95,000 KRW | 90,297 KRW | 76,231 KRW | Still strong before Chuseok |
| Hongro | Medium | 76,000 KRW | 80,429 KRW | 68,060 KRW | Weaker than premium grade |
| Tsugaru/Aori | Premium | 58,200 KRW | 63,554 KRW | 51,053 KRW | Lower than last year, above normal |
| Tsugaru/Aori | Medium | 47,200 KRW | 53,989 KRW | 45,271 KRW | Near normal-year level |
| Fuji | Premium | Not shown | - | - | Limited late-August data |
| Fuji | Medium | Not shown | - | - | Better judged after October |
Hongro is the important one for September. KAMIS showed Hongro premium grade at 95,000 KRW/10kg on August 24. But KREI’s August outlook expected Hongro premium wholesale prices around 65,000 KRW/10kg, below last year’s 85,600 KRW.
This difference is not unusual. KAMIS daily prices show a market snapshot on a specific day. KREI outlooks describe the broader monthly direction. Chuseok demand, daily arrivals, quality, and market mix can move daily prices sharply. Farmers should watch several days of price movement, not just one number.
3. September price outlook table
September prices should be treated as ranges, not fixed numbers. Combining KREI’s larger production and shipment forecast with late-August KAMIS prices, the practical view is as follows.
| Variety | September direction | Expected wholesale range | Farmer action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hongro premium | Can hold before Chuseok, but supply pressure exists | 65,000–95,000 KRW/10kg | Separate good color and sweetness for gift sales |
| Hongro medium | More exposed to price pressure | 55,000–76,000 KRW/10kg | Move small or marked fruit into home-use packs |
| Arisoo premium | Limited official daily price data, but can be differentiated | Similar to or slightly below premium Hongro | Explain taste, color, and use clearly in direct sales |
| Arisoo medium | May be treated as a general mid-season apple without branding | Conservative pricing from Hongro medium level | Use direct-sales descriptions and tasting experience |
| Fuji premium | Too early for a firm September price | Official price data limited | Watch October and storage-market signals |
| Fuji medium | Too early for a firm September price | Official price data limited | Focus on storage quality management |
Arisoo is important, but it is not consistently separated in KAMIS daily apple tables like Hongro. So its price should not be stated as a hard official number. It is better to use Hongro and other mid-season apple prices as a reference, then adjust by color, sweetness, size, and sales channel.
Fuji is also difficult to price in September. The late-August KAMIS Fuji wholesale price field was blank. Fuji should be judged mainly from October onward, when late-season and storage-market signals become clearer.
4. Why farmers should be conservative this year
KREI forecasts 2026 apple production at 487 thousand tons. That is 8.7% higher than last year and 2.6% above the normal-year level. Apple area is estimated at 34,850 hectares, up 4.9% from last year. Yield is also expected to rise by 3.6%.
In other words, there are more apples, and growing conditions have been relatively favorable. KREI’s survey also shows apple growth conditions as mostly good or similar to last year.
Good crops do not always mean good prices. When many farms ship at a similar time, medium-grade fruit weakens first. That is why 2026 September apple marketing should focus less on “how much was harvested” and more on “how to separate and sell each grade.”
5. Hongro: sorting decides the price
Hongro is the core apple variety around the September Chuseok market. KREI expects Chuseok-period shipments to increase from last year because total production is larger and Hongro shipping has moved earlier.
That means Hongro should not be priced as one single product. Fruit with good color, size, and sweetness can go into gift packs. Uneven color, small fruit, marked fruit, and mixed-size fruit will be treated as medium or home-use fruit.
KAMIS August 24 prices showed a 19,000 KRW gap between Hongro premium and medium grade. That is a meaningful difference per 10kg box. Poor sorting can immediately reduce farmgate value.
A practical Hongro split is:
- Best color, size, and sweetness: gift packs and premium direct sales
- Good taste but smaller size: home-use small packs
- Marked or damaged fruit: juice, processing, bulk sales
- Not fully colored fruit: avoid rushed harvest when possible
6. Arisoo: the explanation becomes the price
Arisoo can be attractive, but many consumers still know Hongro better. Because official daily wholesale tables do not always separate Arisoo, farmers should not rely only on a market number. Direct sales and local-food channels need a simple variety explanation.
Consumers want to know how Arisoo differs from Hongro. Farmers can explain sweetness, acidity, texture, harvest timing, and storage in plain words. The price should not automatically be set above Hongro. A better strategy is to let customers understand the taste and create repeat buyers.
Useful wording can be simple:
- “A clean mid-season apple with sweetness and light acidity.”
- “Good for both Chuseok gifts and home-use packs.”
- “Gift-grade fruit is separated from smaller home-use fruit.”
For Arisoo, the name alone is not enough. The sales explanation and eating experience protect the price.
7. Fuji: do not rush the decision in September
Fuji is Korea’s most familiar apple variety, but September is still early for firm price judgment. The main Fuji market should be watched from October onward. KAMIS late-August Fuji price data was not available on the latest checked date.
Because total apple production is expected to increase this year, Fuji should not be assumed to stay strong automatically. However, Fuji has good storability, and high-quality fruit can still defend price through storage and later sales.
For Fuji farms, September priorities are:
- Check sunburn and coloring
- Inspect pest and disease marks before harvest
- Prepare storage temperature and humidity control
- Plan separate channels for gift, standard, home-use, and damaged fruit
Fuji is not a variety to rush into the market. It is a variety where storage and quality management matter.
8. Practical September pricing steps
| Step | What to do | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Check KAMIS Hongro premium and medium prices | Establish the market baseline |
| 2 | Sort farm apples into premium, medium, and home-use grades | Grade gap matters more than average price |
| 3 | Separate Chuseok reservation volume | Gift packs have a different price logic |
| 4 | Prepare simple Arisoo variety explanations | Consumers need a reason to pay |
| 5 | Prepare Fuji pricing separately after October | September data is limited |
| 6 | Move damaged fruit quickly into other channels | Avoid pulling down the main product price |
Direct-sales farmers should not simply copy wholesale prices. Packaging cost, delivery cost, card fees, returns, and sorting labor must be added. Local-food stores also need fast turnover, so pricing too high can reduce freshness and sales speed.
For September apples, the key is not only selling high. It is separating what should sell fast from what should sell at a premium.
9. Bottom line
The biggest variable in the September 2026 apple market is larger supply. KREI expects September apple shipments to be 2.2% above last year and 10.4% above the normal-year level. Total 2026 production is expected to be 8.7% higher than last year.
In this kind of year, variety names alone do not protect price. Hongro must be separated clearly between gift-grade and medium-grade fruit. Arisoo needs plain consumer-facing explanations. Fuji should be managed for October and later rather than forced into a September price frame.
The practical task for farmers is simple. Check KAMIS prices every day, sort farm fruit by grade, and prepare separate Chuseok gift and home-use price tables. In 2026, September apple income will likely depend less on the average market price and more on how each grade is sold through each channel.
References
- aT KAMIS Agricultural Price Information, wholesale apple price data, checked on August 25, 2026 using August 24, 2026 displayed prices.
- KREI Agricultural Outlook Center, 「Fruit Outlook, August 2026」, published August 4, 2026.
- KREI apple section: 2026 apple production forecast of 487 thousand tons and September shipment forecast of 70.1 thousand tons.
- Seoul Agro-Fisheries & Food Corporation Garak Market prices are used as the KREI wholesale price reference.