Agriculture Ministry to monitor prices of 28 key food items

The Agriculture Ministry will monitor food prices closely as part of the government's efforts to tame inflation, it said Thursday.

Customers browse products at a supermarket in Seoul on Tuesday. [YONHAP]

The Agriculture Ministry will monitor food prices closely as part of the government's efforts to tame inflation, it said Thursday.

The ministry will track the prices of 28 key food items, including processed foods, bread, instant noodles, coffee and flour.

"Prices of agricultural and fishery products are showing signs of decreasing since the end of October, but there are still hurdles, including deteriorating weather conditions and the outbreak of an animal disease," Vice Agricultural Minister Han Hoon said in a statement.

BY KIM JU-YEON, YONHAP [kim.juyeon2@joongang.co.kr]