Crowds Flock at Dawn to Goesan's 30-Year-Old Fresh Red Pepper Market

[Anchor]

People have been flocking from all over the country since the early morning hours to buy fresh red peppers. It is the Goesan Fresh Red Pepper Market, which boasts a history of more than 30 years.

CJB reporter Ahn Jung-eun introduces the market.

[Reporter]

At dawn, before the break of day,

the plaza of the Goesan Agricultural Products Distribution Center is bustling with people.

It is the Goesan Fresh Red Pepper Market, where producers and consumers can trade directly.

[Kang Hye-sook / Consumer: I came from Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province. I started out early to dry the peppers, make kimchi for the winter, and use them for various other things.]

The reason people visit this place from afar despite the early hour is because they can trust and purchase high-quality fresh red peppers.

Turned bright red by the sweat and efforts of farmers, the fresh red peppers gleam with a smooth shine.

[Song In-heon / Goesan County Mayor: As you know, Goesan peppers are produced in a semi-alpine region, so they receive plenty of sunlight and grow in fertile soil. They have a rich sweetness and yield a lot of red pepper powder when ground.]

Launched in 1991 and maintaining its reputation for over 30 years, the Goesan Fresh Red Pepper Market has established itself as one of the top direct-from-origin markets in the country.

Last year alone, 37 tons of fresh red peppers were sold at this market.

Market days where producers and consumers meet fall on dates ending in 3 and 8 in August, operating for just two hours from 5:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m.

Prices this year are expected to stay at around 3,500 won per kilogram, similar to last year.

[Kim Sun-jong / Head, Goesan Pepper Farming Association Corporation: We expect this year's prices to be the same as last year. We view the crop conditions as average for a normal year. However, due to weather conditions, production in the latter half is expected to decline somewhat.]

The Goesan Fresh Red Pepper Market serves as a place for consumers to find reasonable prices and a stable sales outlet for farming households.

[Come to the Goesan Fresh Red Pepper Market.]

(Video by Kim Geun-hyeok / CJB)

Ahn Jung-eun, CJB

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