China's national vegetable basket price index reached 125.78 in January, 3.26 points higher from the previous month. This rise was largely driven by seasonal increases in vegetable prices, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.
In January, the average wholesale price of 28 key monitored vegetables across the country was 5.32 yuan (about 0.73 U.S. dollars) per kilogram, a 5.3 percent rise from the previous month and a 2.7-percent increase year on year. Among these, five types of vegetables saw price declines month on month, while 23 experienced price hikes. Notably, cauliflower, green beans, bell peppers, lettuce, and eggplant saw price increases of over 10 percent.
"There was a seasonal rise in vegetable prices in January. For one thing, the volume of vegetables transported from the south to the north went up during the Spring Festival holiday, which translated into higher costs in temperature control and transportation. For another, the production cost of greenhouse-grown vegetables in the north is higher than that of open-field varieties. Additionally, consumer spending during the festival period has also contributed to the uptick in price," said Zhang Jing, a researcher at the Institute of Agricultural Information of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.
Zhang added that the total growing areas for vegetables nationwide is slightly higher than in the previous year, and the production and supply foundation for winter and spring vegetables is relatively solid. The seasonal price increase in January was relatively mild compared to previous years.
"Since the Spring Festival, a cold wave has lingered across the country, with temperatures in most regions lower than the average readings for this period. This will affect the growth and transportation of vegetables. The prices of some vegetable may rise further in the short term and in some areas," Zhang said.
Vegetable prices go up in Jan due to seasonal factors
