Vegetable prices such as cabbage in September are strong due to the heat wave...Increase the supply.

Due to the heat wave, vegetable prices such as cabbage and spinach rose sharply last month from a year ago.

The consumer price index for vegetables rose 18.6 percent from a month earlier and 11.5 percent from a year earlier, according to a September consumer price survey by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

The increase was greater in September compared with a 3.2% increase in the overall agricultural and livestock consumer price index from a month ago and a 2.2% increase from a year ago.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs explained that the unusual heat wave has marked the rise of items vulnerable to high temperatures such as cabbage and spinach.

It then said it plans to ship 6,000 tons of autumn cabbage within this month and import 1,000 tons of fresh Chinese cabbage to increase supply.

The fruit price index, such as apples and pears, which remained high last year, is 2.9% lower than a year ago and 6.9% lower than a month ago as production has increased this year.