Chinese unable to pay inflated ginger prices

At the beginning of the year, the price of ginger was round 10 yuan per half kilo. The current price has almost doubled and is costing anywhere from 14 to 16 yuan per half kilo. Some retailers are even asking as much as to 18 yuan per half kilo. With the current price as it is now, many people may no longer be able to afford it.

At the Chengguan Central Vegetable Market stalls, a customer buying ginger comments about the current pricing. "At the beginning of year ginger prices are only at 5 yuan per half a kilo, but now it’s so much more expensive, a half a kilo of ginger is almost as expensive as ¼ of a kilo of pork. I used to buy half a kilo, now I only buy per piece." Aunt Chen told reporters her family likes to drink ginger soup and eat ginger noodles where ginger is an essential ingredient. The increase of 16 yuan is difficult for her to accept.

With ginger prices increasing, many greengrocers are irate. "We order and the prices increase, then we can only increase our selling price as well." A stall told reporters that his wholesale price is 14 yuan per kilogram, so he is selling it for 16 yuan per kg at the moment. The price was 9 yuan per kilogram during the same period last year which means that it has now almost doubled. "Ginger prices started to rise a few years ago. The price increase is a result in the reduction of the planting area, lower yields and other factors. Ginger had less supply compared to last year, less supply means that prices go up."

The growing period for ginger is from June to September, but because of increase rainfall from June to September last year, this has affected the growth of ginger and caused a "lean" harvest. Ginger inventory is decreased, the new ginger is entering the markets later than usual. What is on the market now is from last years production. Coupled with years of lowered ginger agricultural production, ginger outputs have shrunk, increasing ginger prices.