South Korea's government is investigating whether the country's distribution network is exacerbating a domestic vegetable supply shortage and causing price rises, reports Bernama.
The Ministry of Strategy and Finance told the publication it is working with the Ministry of Food to check whether the domestic distribution system is reponsible for fuelling prices and obstructing supply.
Bad weather has, up to now, been blamed for South Korea's vegetable shortage and subsequent price hike, which caused average consumer prices to rise 3.6 per cent last month over the prior-year period, according to Bernama.
Government efforts so far to stabilise cabbage prices have helped ease the situation, the paper said, but prices of other vegetables still remain high and are fuelling inflationary pressure.
A Ministry of Strategy and Finance official told Bernama his department would source 13,000 tonnes of peeled garlic 'as soon as possible', and import 100 tonnes of Chinese radishes to meet local demand.
The official said Seoul may opt to import more garlic this year by using the tariff rate quota allowance if garlic prices fail to fall.
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