"Napa Cabbage and Radish Production Ample This Year"... Record-High KRW 64 Billion in Discounts to Ease the Burden

Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries Announce “2026 Kimjang Ingredient Supply and Demand Stabilization Measures”
Pre-secured Napa Cabbage and Radishes to Be Supplied in Emergencies; Seasonings Such as Chili Peppers and Garlic to Be Supplied Proactively
Government to Promote Kimjang Culture to Boost Consumption of Agricultural Products

The government will invest KRW 64 billion ahead of this year’s kimjang season to ease the burden on consumers. With production of napa cabbage and radishes, the main ingredients for kimjang, expected to be ample this year, the government plans to promote the kimjang spirit while providing discounts to boost consumption of agricultural products.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries jointly announced the “2026 Kimjang Ingredient Supply and Demand Stabilization Measures” on Nov. 3, ahead of the kimjang season. The measures are intended to benefit both consumers and farmers.

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According to the Korea Rural Economic Institute (KREI), 58.6% of households plan to make kimchi at home this year, down 5.6 percentage points from 64.2% a year earlier. For a four-person household, the planned amount is 23.4 heads of napa cabbage, similar to 23.5 heads the previous year. Accordingly, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs estimates that demand for napa cabbage for kimjang will reach 583,000 tonnes this year, down 9.1% from 642,000 tonnes last year.

A ministry official said, “Thanks to favorable weather conditions, production of autumn napa cabbage and radishes for kimjang is expected to rise 18.5% and 11.1%, respectively, from the previous year, leaving supply ample. Although production of some seasoning ingredients, including garlic and salted shrimp, has declined somewhat, supplies during the kimjang season will be sufficient, easing the burden on consumers to some extent.”

To ease the difficulties farmers face due to falling prices and reduce consumers’ grocery bills, the government will implement the measures from Nov. 9 through Dec. 6.

First, the government plans to maintain a stable supply to minimize any shortfall or surplus of kimjang ingredients. It has secured 46,500 tonnes of napa cabbage (10,000 tonnes in stockpiles, 3,500 tonnes at shipment-adjustment facilities and 3,300 tonnes through contract farming) and 9,000 tonnes of radishes (2,000 tonnes in stockpiles and 7,000 tonnes through contract farming). These supplies will not be released immediately; instead, they will be used to address emergencies such as temporary shortages and managed flexibly according to supply and demand. Separately, 500 tonnes of government-stockpiled chili peppers, 515 tonnes of garlic and 1,500 tonnes of onions will be supplied proactively to food processors and distributors to prevent shortages during the kimjang season.

The government will also work to ensure stable production of napa cabbage, radishes, green onions, scallions and ginger that are currently growing. Through crop growth management consultative bodies and other channels, it will provide cultivation guidance and supply pesticides and nutrients needed for pest control and crop growth.

To boost consumption of Korean agricultural products and ease consumers’ kimjang costs, the government will spend a record KRW 64 billion on discounts for agricultural and marine products: KRW 44 billion for agricultural products and KRW 20 billion for marine products. With KRW 44 billion in funding, discounts of up to 40% will be offered at large and small-to-medium-sized supermarkets on all kimjang ingredients and pork for boiled pork, among other products, from Oct. 29 to Dec. 2. The government also plans to issue KRW 20 billion worth of Agricultural Product Discount Vouchers, which can be used at traditional markets and elsewhere, and sell them at a 20% discount in advance. In addition, cucumbers, zucchini, tomatoes, paprika and Shine Muscat grapes, whose prices have recently fallen, will be included in the discount program to encourage consumption.

For marine products, the government will allocate KRW 20 billion to the “Korea Seafood Festival: Kimjang Special Event,” running from Oct. 28 to Nov. 29. Discounts of up to 50% will be offered on kimjang ingredients including sun-dried salt, salted shrimp, anchovy sauce and oysters, as well as popular fish species.

The government will also organize events to spread the kimjang spirit throughout society. In cooperation with local governments and the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation, it will hold nationwide kimchi-making events and sharing campaigns, and expand hands-on kimjang activities for consumers by making use of rural tourism resources such as rural experience and recreation villages. In addition, it will work with public institutions and private companies to encourage employees to buy kimchi in bulk and to give kimchi to family, relatives and neighbors. The government will also expand kimchi-sharing activities for vulnerable groups and promote the kimjang spirit nationwide through a range of initiatives, including a relay of messages involving prominent figures from society.

The government will regularly provide price information, including estimates that kimjang costs will be lower than last year, to encourage people to make and share more kimchi. It will also strengthen inspections of country-of-origin labels on kimjang ingredients and special testing for pesticide residues so consumers can purchase agricultural and marine products with confidence.

Song Mi-ryung, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, said, “Overall, supplies of vegetables for kimjang are expected to be ample this year, but the farmers who have worked hard may face difficulties as prices fall. Kimjang is a cherished culture listed as UNESCO cultural heritage, so I hope people will join the ‘Make and Share One More Head’ campaign and show their love for struggling farming communities and their neighbors.” Hwang Jong-woo, Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, said, “We will do our utmost to ease the burden of grocery shopping during the kimjang season, including by supplying ingredients such as salted shrimp, anchovy sauce and oysters at discounts of up to 50%.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.