Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs: "From late this month, increased supply of cabbage and radish... Committed to stable supply of kimchi-making ingredients"

Focused Management on Stable Supply of Kimchi-Making Vegetables for Kimjang Season
'Stable Supply Measures for Kimchi Ingredients' to be Established by Late October

The government is strengthening management to ensure the stable supply of vegetables such as napa cabbage and radish used as kimchi-making ingredients ahead of the kimchi-making season. The government expects the supply of napa cabbage and radish to increase from late October. However, since heavy rain is forecasted in the Jeonnam and Gyeongnam regions, thorough disaster response measures will be implemented.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced on the 15th that it will focus on strengthening management to ensure the stable supply of vegetables used as kimchi-making ingredients in preparation for the kimchi-making season.

Park Soon-yeon, Director of Distribution and Consumption Policy at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, said, "We will thoroughly manage the growth of horticultural products such as napa cabbage, which are currently in short supply, to secure the maximum possible supply." He added, "Although the shipment volume of napa cabbage is somewhat low until mid-October, the shipping areas will expand to regions such as Gyeongbuk and Chungbuk from late October, and the autumn napa cabbage crops in those areas are recovering after initial growth setbacks, so the shipment volume will significantly increase."

The Ministry is increasing market supply through shipment incentives until mid-October, when shipment volumes are lower than usual, and is importing and supplying fresh napa cabbage to alleviate supply shortages for kimchi and dining-out businesses. Although this period is mainly when kimchi manufacturers consume the most, discount support will also be provided until the 16th of this month to reduce the burden on consumers who need to purchase for home use. Additionally, a "Kimchi Ingredient Supply Stability Plan" will be prepared by the end of October to ensure the stable supply of kimchi ingredients.

Summer radish prices are stronger than usual due to reduced cultivation areas, poor crop conditions, and increased demand as a substitute for napa cabbage. However, the Ministry forecasts that prices will stabilize from November, when radishes used for kimchi-making are shipped in earnest, as growing conditions have improved since the beginning of this month and crop conditions are recovering.

The Ministry held an emergency meeting of the horticultural product growth management council yesterday to check disaster response preparations, as heavy rain is forecasted to concentrate in the Jeonnam southern coastal areas (Haenam, Jindo-gun, etc.), which are major production areas for open-field vegetables such as napa cabbage and green onions. Furthermore, the Ministry plans to strengthen growth management by maintaining an emergency response system against abnormal weather, distributing pest and disease control technical materials, and providing guidance on crop safety management to farmers, as rapid temperature changes or prolonged cloudy weather causing insufficient sunlight could negatively affect the supply conditions of horticultural products.