Spinach hits 30,000 won a bunch as Chuseok price hikes stir concern

At a mart in Mapo-gu, Seoul, spinach was being sold for 12,000 won per bunch at the vegetable section, on August 25. Oh Dong-wook

On August 25, the vegetable section of a grocery mart in Mapo-gu, Seoul, was deserted. Shoppers glanced at the price tags and walked away. The price of a bunch of spinach on the shelf was 12,000 won. Even this was cheap because it was leftover stock. “At Garak Market three days ago, the auction price of spinach was 310,000 won for a box of 4 kilograms (10 bunches),” said Kim Yu-hyeon, head of the produce team at the mart. “It was 31,000 won per bundle, so I couldn’t even touch it and had to walk away.”

Vegetable prices have continued to soar ahead of the Chuseok holiday. This is because the supply of vegetables such as spinach, cabbage, and chili has decreased due to the record-breaking heatwaves.

Grocery stores are taking spinach and other leafy greens off their shelves, and restaurant owners and consumers are complaining about high prices.

At that time, smaller grocery stores had almost no spinach or other leafy greens in stock. “The price of spinach is too high,” said Mr. A, an employee at a small vegetable store in Gongdeok-dong, “and we can’t stock it because it won’t sell.” “There is no spinach or other greens,” said Ms. Lee (87), a vegetable vendor at Gongdeok Market, adding, “In the summer, lettuce, spinach and other greens may wilt and become unavailable, but this year the situation is much worse.”

According to the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT), as of August 23, the price of a 4-kilogram box of spinach at Garak Market in Seoul surged to 273,700 won (top grade), nearly six times higher than the 48,827 won it cost on the 1st. During the same period, the price of 10 kilograms of Cheongyang chili peppers more than doubled, rising from 54,397 won to 111,136 won.

Not only vendors but also restaurant owners and consumers are feeling the pinch. “Cheongyang peppers, which used to cost 10,000 won a box, now cost 120,000 won, and the price of lettuce has doubled compared to last year,” said Mr. Kim (54), who runs a jokbal restaurant in Mapo-gu, Seoul. “It’s a wonder I haven’t lost my mind, with sales staying the same while ingredient prices keep rising.” “A bag of lettuce that used to cost 2,000 won is now 4,200 won,” said Mr. Kim (62), while shopping at a hypermarket in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. “Chuseok is coming soon, and I don’t think prices will go down before then, so it’s concerning.”

The government held a high-level party meeting that day to try to stabilize prices ahead of Chuseok, but the public’s reaction was lukewarm. “Carrots that used to cost 300 won per 100 grams have become 800 won, a box of cucumbers with 100 pieces has increased from 80,000 won to 140,000 won, and a head of kimchi cabbage has increased from 3,000 won to 5,000 won,” Kim, the head of the produce team, said, adding, “I doubt they will be able to stabilize the prices.”

No Gi-hwan (68), who has been growing peppers and lettuce for more than 20 years in Hamyang-gun, Gyeongnam, said, “Due to the severe heat, the roots of lettuce and other vegetables have been damaged, and the leaves on the ground have stopped growing. Compared to the same period last year, production has decreased to 30 percent of its usual level.”

He added, “The price of a 4-kilogram box of lettuce has risen from 7,000 won to 35,000 won, but sales have dropped by more than 50 percent due to the lack of production. The government should take comprehensive measures against natural disasters rather than just relying on imports.”

※This article has undergone review by a professional translator after being translated by an AI translation tool.