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
Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain said on Monday that they have intercepted Iranian aerial attacks.
The Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army said in a statement Monday night that its air defenses intercepted three missiles launched from Iran.
It said the interception caused no casualties or material damage, adding that it remains on high alert and will respond firmly to any threats to national security and sovereignty.
The General Command of the Bahrain Defense Force said that its air defense systems intercepted and destroyed multiple Iranian aerial attacks against the kingdom.
It condemned what it called Iran's "systematic hostile approach," saying the "deliberate use of missiles and drones to target civilians and private property" violates international humanitarian law.
Kuwait's armed forces said on Monday its air defense systems were intercepting "hostile" missile and drone attacks, as explosions were heard in parts of the country.
In a statement on social media platform X, the General Staff of the Kuwaiti Armed Forces confirmed the explosions resulted from air defense systems engaging with "hostile" aerial attacks, urging the public to follow safety instructions issued by authorities.
Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps said earlier on Monday that it had launched missile and drone strikes against U.S. assets and facilities in Kuwait and Jordan in response to continued U.S. airstrikes on Iran.
Recent strikes on Kuwait targeted military installations and some of its vital infrastructure, including oil facilities and power and water desalination plants, causing injuries and material damage.
Explosions were heard on Monday evening in Iran's southern provinces of Hormozgan and Fars, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported.
Several explosions were heard in Hormozgan's Sirik County, Mehr cited local citizens as saying, adding the nature of the blast remains unclear.
It also quoted Seyed Ahmad Ahmadizadeh, Fars' deputy governor for political, security and social affairs, as saying that the United States has carried out an airstrike against a region in the provincial capital Shiraz, without causing casualties.
Earlier in the day, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian declared a "full-scale war" with the United States. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Iran has received mediation proposals and keeps its diplomatic channels open.
The United States has launched multiple strikes on Iran's southern provinces over the past week, saying they were aimed at "degrading Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping."
Iran has responded with waves of missile and drone attacks targeting U.S. military bases and facilities in regional countries, including Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan.
Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain say intercepted Iranian aerial attacks
