Housewife Han (58) was surprised when she visited a nearby traditional market on the 30th of last month. The price of lettuce, which used to sell for 2,000 won per colander not long ago, has risen to 3,000 won. There were maybe twenty heads of lettuce in the colander. The price of perilla leaves is also expensive. Mr. Han said, “The price of vegetables has risen so much that it has become difficult to wrap lettuce and perilla leaves with meat.”
As vegetable prices soar sharply, consumers’ concerns are deepening. Recently, the price of cabbage exceeded 20,000 won per head, making it ‘golden cabbage’, and the price of lettuce and perilla leaves, which are common vegetables on the dinner table, also exceeded 100 won per piece, putting the price of shopping carts on alert.
In fact, a supermarket in Seoul that the reporter visited on the 1st was selling a bag of 30 perilla leaves for 3,980 won. Each sheet costs 132 won. At another supermarket, a bag of 20 perilla leaves was being sold for 2,290 won (114 won per sheet). Eco-friendly red lettuce grown organically was being sold for 3,980 won per bag of 19 leaves. That’s over 209 won per sheet.
The rising price of vegetables is also a burden for those who enjoy barbecue during the fall camping season. Housewife Kang (39) said, “The prices of the vegetables I usually pack for camping outings have risen a lot,” adding, “It’s fun to go to a campsite on the weekend and have fun cooking a barbecue, but lettuce and perilla leaves are all expensive.”
According to Korea Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Trade Corporation Price Information (KAMIS), as of late last month (September 21st to 30th), the price of 100g of commercial grade perilla leaves was 3,514 won, a 13.3% increase compared to the same period last year (3,101 won). During the same period, the price of 100g of red lettuce was 2,344 won, a sharp increase of 45.8% compared to last year (1,607 won). The price of 10 prickly cucumbers was 14,943 won, up 15.9% from last year (12,890 won), and green pepper (Cheongyang pepper) was 1,823 won per 100g, up 15% in one year.
With kimchi season approaching, cabbage prices are still unknown. Cabbage was priced at 9,580 won per head, up 54.6% from last year when it was 6,193 won. The price of young radish was 5,188 won per 1 kg, up 37.9% from last year (3,760 won).
The government predicts that vegetable prices will gradually stabilize as temperatures drop recently. An official from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said, “The rise in vegetable prices is due to poor harvests due to the continued heat wave. As temperatures drop and crops recover, prices are expected to stabilize,” adding, “We will do our best to manage growth and ship (vegetables) early.” “We are making efforts to expand supply,” he said.
Reporter Eunji Kim [email protected]
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2024-10-02 00:43:34