Strawberries beat tangerines in sales

What is the best selling fruit in winter?

Lotte Mart said on Sunday that strawberries trumped tangerines in sales in December for the first time. Tangerines had been the longstanding no.1 in December fruit sales since the opening of the retail chain.

Strawberries accounted for 52.4 percent of the combined sales of strawberries and tangerines at the retailer in December this year. The percentage has steadily increased from 36.7 percent in 2008 to 38.7 percent in 2010 and 42.3 percent in 2012.

“This year’s delayed summer sped up the growth of strawberries for about two to three weeks and the production of the fruit increased as well,” Chae Soo-ho, the fruit product planner at Lotte Mart, said. “Lower prices as a result of increased supply are another reason behind the strong sales.” According to the Seoul Agro-Fisheries & Food Corporation, the average wholesale price of top grade strawberries (two kilograms) between Dec. 1 and Dec. 27 was 24,129 won (22.88 U.S. dollars), 17.8 percent down from last year’s price (29,368 won or 27.85 dollars).