[Journalism Internship] Kimchi becomes a luxury as climate change cooks harvest

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[Journalism Internship] Kimchi becomes a luxury as climate change cooks harvest

Published: 22 Nov. 2024, 11:38

A plate of kimchi [TAEMIN SHIN]

Oh Chaeeun, Park Hannah, Park Yunhoo, Shin Taemin

Kimchi has always been a constant presence at every Korean household’s dinner table. The country’s favorite staple, however, has increasingly become a luxury as of late, as abnormal climate events through the summer reduced supply.

In October, the wholesale price of napa cabbage, used to make kimchi, increased by 84 percent. The price rose to 15,220 won ($11.04) for 10 kilograms (22 pounds), up from 8,290 won a year earlier, according to the Korea Rural Economic Institute.

The increase happened because of falling crop yields, which came to 322,161 tons this year, down by 12 percent from 365,961 tons last year.

The cultivated land for napa cabbage also shrank, from 52.42 square kilometers (32.57 square miles) to 49.64 square kilometers, a 5.3 percent decrease.

The poor harvest is due to unusually intense heat waves that affected the country during the summer.

In August, the average monthly temperature came to 29.3 degrees Celsius (84.8 degrees Fahrenheit), up from 27.2 degrees in the same period last year.

For September and October, the figure stood at 25.5 degrees and 16.7 degrees, compared to last year’s 23.7 degrees and 15.8 degrees, according to Korea Meteorological Administration.

The recent decline in cabbage production has raised deep concerns throughout Korea as it collided with the country’s kimjang (kimchi-making) season.

The arrival of kimjang, during which families traditionally prepare large quantities of kimchi for the winter, is driving up demand and, consequently, the price of cabbage and other agricultural products.

According to the Korea Price Research Center’s survey on the prices of 15 main ingredients for kimchi conducted nationwide, the average cost of making kimchi for a family of four at traditional markets is estimated at 419,130 won, a 19.6 percent increase compared to the previous year.

As such, many households have recently turned to pre-packaged kimchi for its affordability and convenience rather than making it at home, leading kimchi producers to face steep increases in production costs amid a spiking demand.

Daesang, a leading producer in the pre-packaged kimchi industry, initially announced that the sale and delivery of Pogi Kimchi, which had been sold out on their online mall due to a surge in demand in mid-October, would return to normal. However, they have pushed back this timeline to early next month.

Cabbages are displayed for sale at a marketplace in western Seoul on Oct. 15. [YONHAP]

Cabbage is not the only agricultural item affected by climate-driven price volatility. According to the National Assembly Budget Office, the consumer price index for agricultural products rose from 0.6 percent in June of last year to 11.7 percent in March.

In September, the prices of agricultural products rose by 3.3 percent, pushing overall inflation up by 0.14 percentage points, according to data from Statistics Korea. Notably, the prices of vegetables increased 11.5 percent, particularly for lettuce at 31.5 percent, radishes at 41.6 percent and cabbage at 53.6 percent.

The Fresh Food Index, a measure of essential food prices, rose by 3.4 percent. In contrast, the Living Price Index saw a more moderate increase of 1.5 percent, bringing it down to the 1 percent range.

Amid the heightened price volatility of agricultural products, the Bank of Korea (BOK) has been urging the government to address the newly emerging threat to the country’s food security.

The central bank analyzed that GDP growth will slow down but prices will go up if Korea has no solution for climate change. GDP, compared to the Korean population growth trend, will decrease by 21 percent by 2100, while prices will increase 1.8 percent, according to a report by the BOK that was released on Monday.

Meanwhile, farmers are also adopting adaptive farming practices and better water management to keep crop production stable despite rising temperatures. Organizations like Greenpeace are working to support farmers as environmental shifts severely affect crop yields and food security.

It is not a growing concern isolated only to Korea.

The Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research reports that the food price trend is expected to increase 3.2 percent annually at a maximum and total prices are expected to increase up to 1.2 percent annually until 2035. The result was based on consumer price index data from 121 nations over the past 30 years, as well as a total of 27,000 weather data sets.

The institute predicts the total annual world damage caused by climate change will reach about $1.9 billion to $5.9 billion.

BY OH CHAEEUN, PARK HANNAH, PARK YUNHOO, SHIN TAEMIN [[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]]