[News Today] Kimchi ingredient prices lowered

[LEAD]
It's peak kimchi-making season in Korea. To help ease the price burden, the government and retailers are offering big discounts on kimchi ingredients. And this year, prices are looking a little better.

[REPORT]
Shoppers rush into a supermarket as soon as the doors open.

They hastily pick up napa cabbages, now priced less than 3,000 won or around 2 U.S. dollars for a bundle of three.

The limited number of cabbages offered at super low prices were sold out in minutes.

Kang Sun-hee / Seoul resident
I came to buy one head of cabbage but it was so cheap that I'm going to buy two.

The average consumer price of napa cabbages this week, the peak kimchi-making season, is about 3,400 won per head, around half of last month's price.

Cabbage price which spiked due to long heat waves and frequent rains has returned to the previous level.

The wholesale price is still 20% higher than last year, but the government and retailers are ensuring lots of discounts to lower the consumer price.

Shin Ki-gwon / Supermarket Produce Team
Stunted growth reduced the usable percentages of cabbages for kimchi. So, cabbage prices rose slightly in the wholesale market.

In contrast, radish and green onion prices are lower than last year by some 23% and 15% respectively.

The prices of mustard leaves, peeled garlic and spring onions have risen, but the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs projects that this year's perceived gimjang cost is likely to be around 10% lower than last year.

Kim Jeong-sun / Seoul resident
They're going to sell radishes at lower prices, which is great. I think it's cheaper than last year.

Roughly six out of ten households plan to make kimchi at home this year.

A survey found that about 60% of the households making their own kimchi at home plan to use pre-salted cabbages and a four-person household uses 18 heads of cabbages on average to make kimchi.

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