Vegetable prices rise due to downpour, drought

Prices of vegetables jumped sharply in recent weeks due to heavy downpours that followed a long drought, industry sources said Wednesday.

The price of napa cabbage soared 26.2 percent to 1,416 won ($1.2) per kilogram Tuesday from a month earlier, according to the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation.

The price of spinach jumped 12.7 percent to 4,568 won per kilogram from 4,053 won, while that of lettuce gained 4.4 percent to 662 won from 634 won per 100 grams.

The price of cucumbers was tallied at 5,733 won per 10 units, up a sharp 26.5 percent from 4,531 won a month earlier.

"Greenhouse vegetables are vulnerable to high temperatures, and the current high price trend will likely continue due to reduced output," a market watcher predicted.

Prices of some vegetables, however, have actually dropped.

The price of red pepper was off 19.9 percent per 100 grams to 881 won from 1,100 won and garlic prices backtracked 7.9 percent to 9,351 won per kilogram from 10,156 won.

The price of onions also declined to 1,888 won per kilogram from 2,001 won. (Yonhap)