South Korea can’t afford kimchi again, people tease the kimchi as "golden vegetables"

Jimu Journalist Hu Li

South Korea can't afford kimchi again. According to Russia reported on September 25 today, after South Korea experienced high temperature and heavy rain, most of the country's cabbage was destroyed, and Koreans were facing a situation of soaring kimchi costs.

Kimchi Data Map (Picture Source: Russia Today)

According to data published by the Korean Aquarium Food Circulation Commune, the most important raw materials for making kimchi in South Korea have doubled the price in the past year. The prices soared by 41%in the past month to reach about 3,300 won (about 16.5 yuan) per kilogram.

The Koreans are now experiencing the squeezing of historic high inflation, and the price increase of kimchi makes their lives heavier. It is reported that South Korea is about to enter the nickname production season in November, and each household usually produces a large amount of pickles at this time for winter. Hong Chengzhen, a resident of Seoul, said: "Every time I go to the grocery store, I will see the price of vegetables rising."

Because the cost of making kimchi at home is too expensive, Korean consumers hope to directly buy the finished kimchi produced by the factory. However, according to South Korea ’s YTN news report, the supply of supercorp kimchi is now half of the normal level, and it is almost impossible to buy kimchi on the Internet.

The largest kimchi manufacturer elephant group will increase the average price of its "Zongjiafu" brand of kimchi from October 1st by 9.8%from October 1. Taking 3.7 kg of kimchi as an example, the price will rise from about 34,700 won (175 yuan) to 381,000 won (192 yuan). Since September 15th, the food giant Gejie First Sugar has increased the price of "Pepin Pavilion" brand kimchi by 11%.

Some people call the kimchi sold in the supermarket as "Geumchi", and in Korean, "Golden Cai" is homophonic, and ridicule is as expensive as gold.

At the same time, free kimchi supplied in major restaurants in South Korea now requires an additional 3,000 won (about 15 yuan). The owner of a chicken restaurant in Seoul said that the price of a roll of cabbage is three times the price of raw chicken.

It is reported that the consumer price index in August in South Korea rose 5.7%over the same period last year. Food prices rose even more, rising 8%compared with the same period last year.

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