Agriculture Minister Song Miryeong: "Cabbage Prices Are Stable During Kimjang Season... December Agricultural Product Measures to Be Announced"

Visit to Jeonnam Haenam-gun, the main autumn cabbage production area
"Full effort to manage cabbage prices during kimjang season"

Song Miryeong, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, announced plans to "announce measures for all items in December" regarding 'climate inflation,' where food prices rise due to abnormal climate phenomena. Regarding the soaring cabbage prices, she predicted that the supply and demand of autumn cabbage would be more stable than now, so the impact would not be significant.

Minister Song appeared on KBS Sunday Diagnosis Live that day and said, "We will create a climate change response team, hold meetings once a week, and develop countermeasures," adding, "We will consider everything from production to distribution."

Song Mi-ryeong, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, visited a cabbage field in Haenam-gun, Jeollanam-do on the 29th to inspect the kimchi cabbage crop condition.
[Photo by Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs] [Image source=Yonhap News]

She also mentioned that to respond to abnormal surges in agricultural product prices such as cabbage, they would consider strengthening stockpiling capacity for supply and demand control. When asked about the burden of cabbage prices during the kimchi-making season, Minister Song said, "The cabbage used for kimchi from mid-November to early December is unrelated to the current cabbage prices, so there is no need to worry," adding, "Kimchi cabbage is autumn cabbage and winter cabbage, and they were planted recently and are currently growing."

Regarding the flooding damage in Haenam-gun, Jeollanam-do, the main production area of autumn cabbage, she explained, "I think the total loss is below 10%," and said, "If you wait, cabbage prices will stabilize."

Meanwhile, that afternoon, Minister Song visited Haenam-gun, Jeollanam-do in person and urged related organizations, saying, "Let's manage the autumn cabbage crop well to increase farmers' income and make efforts so that the public can make kimchi without worrying about prices."