I can't even eat kimchi stew now... The cabbage price is skyrocketing...

This is really a big problem, seriously ㅠㅠ

How should I do the kimchi-making this year...

I can't do without kimchi ㅠㅠ

I love all kinds of kimchi—kimchi jjim, kimchi stew, stir-fried kimchi, just kimchi in general;;

22,000 won for one cabbage... That's shocking ㅠㅠ

 

The price of domestically produced cabbage has surged, increasing the burden on consumers.

On the 22nd, a netizen posted a message titled 'Current Status of Cabbage Prices at Hanaro Mart' on an online community. The price of domestically produced cabbage in the photo was 22,000 won.

Netizens responded with comments such as "The grocery store near my house sells two heads of cabbage for 30,000 won," "E-Mart is about 9,000 won. The prices are crazy," "The cheapest was 16,000 won. Everything is in the 20,000 won range," "I'm giving up on making kimchi this year," and "The kimchi is in a dangerous state," sharing updates on the recent cabbage prices in their area.

A member of a mom cafe lamented, "It's an emergency because of cabbage," and said, "I told my family to go to various supermarkets and buy from the cheapest place, but it still cost 50,000 won for three heads." They also said, "The saying that cabbage is more expensive than Korean beef feels real," and "I'm trembling at the thought of making cabbage soup."

The heatwave continues until mid-month, leading to a surge in vegetable prices. In the case of Gangwon whole cabbage, the price has increased by nearly 10% in just a week compared to before the last Chuseok holiday, surpassing 10,000 won per head.

On the 21st, according to the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation's agricultural product distribution information, the retail price of a head of cabbage was 9,337 won as of the previous day. This is a 69.49% increase compared to a year ago and a 32.65% rise compared to the average year.

The agricultural distribution industry attributes this year's relatively long-lasting record-breaking heatwave to poor growing conditions.

It is reported that Gangwon, known as the main production area of cabbage, has experienced unfavorable climate conditions, such as longer periods with daytime temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius compared to previous years.

As the price has risen so sharply that the term "golden cabbage" has emerged, some restaurants that use cabbage as an ingredient are sighing. A Korean restaurant owner said, "At this rate, we won't be able to sell kimchi stew," adding, "We're running the business at a loss."

Reuters recently reported that "Korea's climate change is affecting the quality and production of cabbage," and warned that if the high-temperature phenomenon continues, it will no longer be possible to produce cabbage that grows well in cool climates.

 

<Source: Korea Economic Daily>