Spinach, heavy rain and heat wave, sharp decline in shipments in South Korea

Spinach prices have skyrocketed. On August 30, spinach was traded at an average of 147,665 won per 4kg box at Garak Market in Seoul. This is 115.8% higher than the average for August last year (68,422 won) and 191.2% higher than the average for August (57,001 won). The main reason is the sharp decline in shipments due to the heat wave that continued this summer. Kim Jae-min, an auctioneer for Korean fresh produce, said, “Spinach is usually harvested about 28 days after sowing, but the germination rate of seeds sown at that time decreased due to the heavy rain in mid-July.” He added, “The crops that had difficulty sprouting suffered so much damage that they could not be shipped, as the leaves turned yellow due to the unusually high temperatures in August.” Most of the spinach currently available comes from Pocheon, Icheon, Goyang, and Namyangju in Gyeonggi Province. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the temperature at which spinach grows best is ...