Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs "Increasing Supply of Top 10 Lunar New Year Seasonal Products Including Apples and Pears by 33%"

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Min-young] The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has decided to increase the supply of 10 major holiday items, including apples, pears, and pork, by 33% to stabilize supply and demand during the Lunar New Year season. Discount events will also be held at direct transaction stores to ease the burden on holiday shopping baskets.

On the 7th, the Ministry announced that it will implement the "Lunar New Year Holiday Supply and Demand Stabilization Measures" containing these details.

An official from the Ministry stated, "Although some vegetables, which suffered poor harvests due to typhoon damage last year, are showing somewhat high prices, the overall supply and demand situation for the 10 major holiday items such as fruits and livestock products is expected to be favorable. Prices for holiday items are expected to be somewhat higher than average, mainly for beef, due to increased demand for radish and premium meat amid insufficient supply."

Accordingly, the Ministry plans to extend the supply period for holiday items with high demand, such as beef, to three weeks and increase the supply volume by 33% (1.3 times) compared to normal times, supplying a total of about 121,000 tons. The targeted holiday items include napa cabbage, radish, apples, pears, beef, pork, chicken, eggs, chestnuts, and jujubes. In particular, for napa cabbage and radish, which are showing higher prices than usual due to poor winter crop harvests caused by large-scale damage, stabilization will be achieved by utilizing shipment control facility volumes (napa cabbage, 2,500 tons) and vegetable price stabilization volumes (radish, 24,000 tons).

The supply of gift sets will also be expanded. Fruit gift sets such as single-hand fruits will be supplied 1.4 times more than last year, and livestock product gift sets will be offered with a variety of price ranges.

To reduce the burden of Lunar New Year table setting costs, discount events linked with direct transaction stores will be held. Single-hand fruit gift sets such as apples and pears will be sold at about 20% discount compared to market prices through Nonghyup-affiliated stores.

Beef will be sold at a discount through Nonghyup, large supermarkets, direct transaction stores in Gangnam and Songpa districts, and the Cheonggye Plaza direct transaction market. Pork will be discounted through Handon Mall, and processed chicken products (20-30% discount) will be sold via affiliated company websites. Wild edible plants can be purchased at discounted prices through the Korea Forest Service Central Association, regional forest cooperatives, and special online and offline promotional events.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs will operate a joint public-private "Lunar New Year Holiday Supply and Demand Stabilization Task Force" with related organizations and agencies to specially manage the supply and price trends of major holiday items.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.