A staple crop has had an explosion in price, sending consumers reeling, according to the Korea Herald.
What's happening?
Between July and August, the price of napa cabbage has gone up by 52% in South Korea. The key ingredient in kimchi usually sees a small bump this time of year, but this increase was 9.3% higher than last year, according to data from the government's Korea Agro-Fisheries and Food Trade Corporation.
Watermelon and tomatoes have seen similar price hikes in South Korea in recent months.
Why are food prices important?
The increase in prices is due to heavy rain and heat waves through the summer that have disrupted agricultural yields. This hits especially hard as napa cabbage is the most-consumed vegetable in South Korea, accounting for 29.1% of the average Korean's vegetable intake, according to government data.
These agricultural disruptions aren't limited to South Korea, either. Grocery price increases have been occurring worldwide this summer, including in India, the U.K., and the U.S.
These increasingly destructive weather patterns are directly attributable to increases in atmospheric pollution. Floods and droughts don't only disrupt agriculture — they also have a profound effect on housing costs.
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What's being done about grocery prices?
In order to stabilize demand, the Korea Agro-Fisheries and Food Trade Corporation has itself purchased 4,000 tons of napa cabbage. At the same time, the government is also releasing stockpiles to combat climbing costs. Japan needed to do the same recently.
"Shipments of highland cabbage from Gangwon are increasing from mid-August, and the government is also releasing reserve supplies to the market, so prices are expected to stabilize," said an official from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, according to Korea JoongAng Daily.
"Cabbage prices will remain higher than usual, but we can get through without major disruptions," added Agriculture Minister Song Mi-ryung.
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