Carrot Wholesale Price Soars 160%... Temperatures 'Plunge,' Vegetable Prices 'Jump'

Prices of Leafy and Root Vegetables Rise as Winter Begins
Lower temperatures and rain reduce work in growing regions...
Wholesale prices climb, with a slight upward trend expected this month
Kimchi-making staples remain stable... government expan

As the weather moves past Ip-dong, the start of winter, and into the threshold of the season, prices for some vegetables that had been stabilizing are rebounding. Recent prices for root and leafy vegetables, including carrots, lettuce, and perilla leaves, have been volatile, with some more than doubling from around the same time last year. The increases reflect reduced shipments from major production areas as rain and falling temperatures have affected supplies. With the kimchi-making season getting underway in earnest, attention is focused on whether the rising trend will spread to the main ingredients used to make kimchi for winter.

Cabbages are on display at a large supermarket in Seoul. Photo by Yoon Dongju

According to KAMIS, the agricultural and fisheries products distribution information service operated by the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT), the wholesale price of carrots traded at agricultural produce wholesale markets stood at 2,375 won per kilogram as of November 6, up 159.6% from the same period last year. The increase partly reflects a base effect, as prices were low around this time last year. However, wholesale prices this month are also more than 10% higher than both the average for the same period over the past five years, excluding the highest and lowest years, and last month's prices.

Cabbage also rose 73.2% year over year to 2,633 won per head. Prices for zucchini (32,634 won for 20) and cucumbers (87,557 won for 100 Dadagi cucumbers) were up 50.4% and 67.6%, respectively, from last year. Among leafy vegetables, prices for green-leaf lettuce (26,692 won per 4 kilograms) and perilla leaves (43,228 won per 100 bundles) climbed more than 30% year over year.

Industry sources attribute the rise in wholesale prices to reduced supplies from production areas, partly due to the noticeably cooler mornings and evenings. The Agricultural Outlook Center at the Korea Rural Economic Institute, for example, expects carrot shipments of marketable quality this month to fall 34% year over year, as remaining summer supplies dwindle and planting of winter carrots in Jeju is delayed.

Accordingly, the center forecast that the wholesale price of marketable-quality carrots would average around 47,000 won per 20 kilograms, up 124.6% from around the same time last year. An industry official said, "In major production areas for lettuce, perilla leaves, and squash, including the Chungcheong region, Gyeongsang Province, and Gangwon Province, colder temperatures and rainy weather have reduced the amount of work being done, resulting in supply shortages." The official added, "Prices could continue to rise until incoming volumes recover."

However, with the kimchi-making season underway, prices for key vegetables needed for the season are lower than in previous years, which is expected to ease the burden on consumers. As of November 6, the wholesale price of a head of marketable-quality napa cabbage was 2,433 won, down 25.2% year over year, while radishes were priced at 1,047 won each, about the same as last year. Wholesale prices for other ingredients, including dried red peppers, peeled garlic, and green onions, were either up by only around 10% or down by more than 20% from the same period last year.

aT previously estimated that the cost of making kimchi this year for a four-person household was 238,280 won as of late October, down 4.2% from the same period last year. The government plans to invest 64 billion won in its Kimchi Ingredient Supply and Price Stabilization Measures through December 6, securing 46,500 tons of napa cabbage and 9,000 tons of radishes in advance and managing their supply in line with market conditions. It also plans to supply government stockpiles of dried red peppers, garlic, and onions to help stabilize prices.

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