Spinach, onions, red pepper powder… Table prices in January are unstable

#Mr. Won, 60, who lives in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, is looking for discount events when he goes to a mart these days. This is because the prices of food materials have been rising terribly since the beginning of the year. When I went to buy spinach, I was surprised by the high price that it only served vegetables. “There is no product that has not gone up from vegetables to eggs and meat,” he said, “I am worried that prices will rise even though the new year is approaching.”

Since the beginning of the year, the price of daily life has been shaken due to the subsequent bad news that hit the food production area. Since the rainy season last year, the spread of avian influenza (AI) has led to a cold wave, and the supply of supplies is experiencing difficulties. Although the government is making all-out efforts to stabilize prices in partnership with large retailers, there is also a prospect that the inflation trend will be prolonged until the Lunar New Year holiday.

◇ From rainy season to AI and cold wave… Red lights all over the shopping cart

According to the Korea Agricultural and Fishery Food Distribution Corporation (aT) on the 18th, the average retail price of spinach (1kg) as of the 15th was 7145 won, a 33.2% increase from a year ago.

During the same period △Onion (69.4%1kg) △Green onion (52.5%·1kg) △Chili powder (46.5%·1kg) △Rice (15.6%·20kg) △ Sweet potato (44.8%·1kg) prices also increased. It is adding to the inflation burden of shopping carts.

Last summer, the longest rainy season and subsequent typhoons had a significant impact on growth. The price of fruit that was damaged by falling and soared together. The price of apples (10) rose 68.2% from a year ago to 33,43 won, and pears (10) also traded at 41,588 won, up 27.4%.

The sudden cold wave also affected the price of fresh vegetables. In particular, the price of radish is soaring as the production volume declined due to heavy snowfall in Jeju Island earlier this month. According to aT, the wholesale price of radish (20kg) as of the 15th is 15,580 won, a 46.8% increase from a month ago. Jeju Island is one of the major producing areas accounting for 35% of the nation’s radish production.

A hypermarket official said, “Amid the poor harvest of agricultural products due to the rainy season last year, the price of fresh items has been rising since the beginning of the year as vegetables have been damaged by the recent cold wave.” I did it.”

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (AI) does not fade in domestic poultry farms, and the price of one egg (30 special eggs) is rising, exceeding 6,000 won. In addition, consumer prices for broilers and ducks rose 9.7% and 2.6%, respectively. It is the first time since statistics were written in March 2018 that the price of an egg has exceeded 6,000 won. On the afternoon of the 11th, a citizen is holding an egg at a large supermarket in Seoul. January 11, 2021/News 1 © News1 Reporter Seung-bae Lee

◇AI without signs of being caught… Ahead of the Lunar New Year Anxiety about the price of eggs and chicken

As highly pathogenic AI, which had slowed in its spread last month, shows signs of re-proliferation this month, prices for chicken, egg and duck meat are also on the rise. In particular, there is concern that the consumer burden will increase as prices are expected to continue to rise until the Lunar New Year holidays, when demand is high.

As of the 10th, the number of poultry killed to prevent the spread of highly pathogenic AI amounted to 15,319,000, including △ 63,33,000 laying hens △ 4867,000 broilers, and 1379,000 meat ducks.

As the number of broilers used for chicken and laying hens that lay eggs declined, the retail price of chickens and eggs increased significantly. According to aT, the price of chicken (1kg) was 5,636 won, up 11.3% year-on-year, and the price of 30 eggs (30 pieces) was also sold at 6669 won, up 25.8% from last year.

Mr. Lee Soon-up (75) said, “I heard that the price will increase further in the future at a direct egg store that I often go to. As the prices of food materials such as rice and meat have also risen, it became more difficult to shop because I couldn’t give up on purchase. Marked.

Hypermarkets are seeking to supply and demand production sites to replace those with AI-proliferating farms and those with poor vegetable crops. The government is also opening discount exhibitions with large retailers including E-Mart and Lotte Mart, and is putting all efforts into price stabilization.

In particular, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs plans to advance the’Let’s go farming in Korea’ event scheduled on the 28th to 15th and sell products such as cabbage, radish, and eggs at low prices to help farmers.

A hypermarket official predicted, “The prices of vegetables and fruits that have been damaged by cold damage are expected to gradually stabilize, but the spread of AI is expected to continue for some time, so there is no small possibility that the price of eggs and chicken will rise further.”

[email protected]

–