In recent times, vegetable prices in various parts of China have been continuously rising. Weekly prices have reached 4.91 yuan (RMB, below) per kilogram, the highest value for the same period in nearly a decade. This news has sparked discussions among internet users and has become a hot search topic on Baidu on August 17th.
According to data from the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs monitoring 28 key vegetables, from June 16th to August 15th, daily vegetable prices in China have risen from 4.27 yuan per kilogram to 6.01 yuan per kilogram, marking a 40.7% increase. Looking at weekly prices, vegetable prices reached 4.91 yuan per kilogram in the 30th week of this year (July 22nd to 28th), the highest for the same period in nearly 10 years.
A report from the Chinese self-media outlet “clumsy不知123” on August 17th revealed that price fluctuations were most significant for vegetables such as leeks, loofah, zucchini, and tomatoes at the Beijing Xinfadi Agricultural Products Wholesale Market. Meanwhile, the price of scallions showed a clear upward trend.
Many people have noticed that the cost of buying vegetables has significantly increased. Some individuals shared online, “Today when buying groceries, some vegetables are even more expensive than meat.” “Cowpeas and green beans are basically around 10 yuan per half kilogram. The slightly pricier garlic sprouts have spiked to 23.8 yuan per half kilogram. During this period, it’s really more expensive to eat vegetables than meat.”
Regarding the current rise in vegetable prices, “Economic Daily” on August 17th quoted industry experts who indicated that seasonal supply and demand fluctuations are essential factors leading to price increases.
Furthermore, this summer, many regions in China experienced extreme weather conditions such as heavy rain, thunderstorms, and strong winds, notably in provinces like Hunan, Shandong, Sichuan, and Anhui. These extreme weather events caused a sharp decline in vegetable production, with vegetable fields being flooded by heavy rain and field roads becoming muddy, severely impacting the harvesting and transportation of vegetables, resulting in a shortage of supply and driving market prices up.
Some internet users believe that the rise in vegetable prices is not directly related to rainfall but rather to inflation being the main culprit. One user mentioned, “Inflation starts from livelihood issues, and liquidity in bank deposits must be addressed.”
As vegetables are essential commodities, the increasing prices are putting pressure on people’s livelihoods. On Tencent News alone, nearly 1,100 internet users participated in discussions. People from various regions such as Shandong, Hebei, Shanghai, Guizhou, Zhejiang, Henan, Fujian, and Shaanxi have been sharing local vegetable prices and expressing dissatisfaction with the high costs.
User “Wind Speaker” commented, “There are seasonal fluctuations every year, so why is it at a ten-year high now? It’s essentially a result of not allowing farmers to sell their own produce, turning vegetables into a capital commodity. Farmers trying to sell their own vegetables are driven away by urban management officials like chicks. Whose problem is it really?”
User “An Ping” argued, “Those who grow vegetables don’t earn much money; the profits are taken by middlemen and retailers. China’s economic operation has a significant characteristic. In some industries, hardworking producers don’t earn much or even operate at a loss, while middlemen and retailers always make stable profits. This isn’t conducive to sustainable economic development.”
User “Tian Gao Ren Wei Feng” expressed, “Wages aren’t increasing, everything else is getting more expensive. Remember that a few years ago, there used to be a rest day every week. Now, lower-level employees have never heard of a rest day, let alone a weekend off. The boss says rest is allowed, but without full attendance incentives, how can people with outrageously low wages survive?”