These days, there are many people who go grocery shopping and pick up and put down fruits and vegetables.
It is said that the price of some vegetables has doubled from last year due to poor harvest.
In addition, the burden on consumers is expected to continue to increase as other costs, such as processed food and delivery costs, continue to rise.
This is reporter Lim Hyun-joo.
◀ Report ▶
A traditional market in Seoul.
A head of cabbage that cost 3,000 won a month ago is now selling for 8,000 won.
[윤혜옥]
″I can’t buy one can at a time. “You have to buy half or one-half or something like that, so you have to reduce the amount little by little.”
In fact, wholesale cabbage prices are skyrocketing.
The wholesale price of 8 kg of cabbage is 21,180 won, which is 1.5 times the price a month ago and 2.2 times the price a year ago.
Wholesale prices of cabbage also rose by 76 percent compared to a year ago, carrot prices by 63 percent, and melon prices by 115 percent.
The reason why vegetable prices are soaring is because there was a lot of rain last winter, which greatly worsened the harvest.
Precipitation last winter was almost three times the average, and as the amount of sunlight decreased due to heavy rain, the production of winter-grown vegetables decreased significantly.
[이재한/농촌진흥청 시설원예연구소 연구관]
″Compared to a normal year, the amount of sunlight decreased by 42%. When the amount of sunlight decreases, production drops significantly.”
Except for cabbage, conditions are expected to improve starting next month, but the sharp rise in vegetable prices is bound to have a significant impact on table prices.
In addition, in the wake of rising oil prices, CJ Logistics has decided to raise convenience store delivery costs starting next month, forcing customers to pay up to 400 won more.
It appears that other courier companies will soon raise their costs as well.
Lotte Well Food postponed the price increase for confectionery that was scheduled for the 1st of next month to a month after receiving a request from the government.
Accordingly, the prices of 17 chocolate-containing confectionery products, including Pepero, will increase by an average of 12% from June 1.
The burden on consumers is expected to further increase as agricultural prices continue to soar and the food industry’s chain of price increases following the general election becomes a reality.
This is Lim Hyun-joo from MBC News.
Tags: cabbage costs won price rises due unexpected weather events
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