Soaring cabbage prices

Take bolder action to ensure stable supply

Concerns are growing over a surge in cabbage prices as people have to go without kimchi, one of Korea’s traditional food items. Especially low-income earners are bearing the brunt of the short supply of cabbages. They are afraid that they may have to dig deeper into their pocket to pay for food and other basic necessities due to mounting inflationary pressure.

The acute shortage of cabbage was prompted by adverse weather conditions apparently brought on by global warming. It came to surface in the spring this year when the unusually cold weather led to a reduction in the harvest of cabbages. The situation has worsened in the summer under the influence of heat waves and typhoons.

In particular, heavy downpours on Sept. 21 devastated cabbage fields mainly in Gangwon Province. For the last few days, cabbage prices doubled to more than 10,000 won ($8.6) per head. Even in some traditional open markets in Seoul, the prices soared to as high as 15,000 won ($13).

Farmers have suffered from huge losses from the bad weather that wreaked havoc on their cabbage cultivation. Even worst-hit farmers had to watch their cabbage harvest plummet to as low as 20 percent of what they reaped a year before. It is sad to watch TV footage showing many cabbages rotting away in flood-swept fields.

Consumers are screaming out at the runaway cabbage prices. Many restaurant operators have already cut down on the amount of cabbage side dishes on tables. Some of them have even stopped serving cabbages or kimchi because they cannot afford to purchase them anymore, saying that they are most afraid of clients who ask for the scarce items.

More worrisome is that the shortage might continue until people are making a considerable amount of kimchi that will be preserved for the winter season. Potential flash rains or other bad weather conditions could add to the woes surrounding the cabbage shortage, also adversely affecting the fall harvest of other farm produce.

The government and the ruling Grand National Party have decided to take belated measures to bring the cabbage prices under control. The key element of the steps is to increase cabbage supply and crack down on those who hoard cabbages for illegal profiteering. But people are skeptical that such action will work to stabilize the prices.

It is necessary for the authorities to take more fundamental measures, including the development of cabbages that can endure flood and other meteorological calamities. It is also required to devise a method of storing and preserving cabbages in order to better cope with a sudden change in demand and supply. What’s equally important is to set up a network to directly connect farmers to consumers in a bid to prevent brokers from making illicit profits.