Falling vegetable prices bring consumers relief

Vegetable prices are falling nationwide after recent good weather relieved tight supplies, according to agriculture officials and experts.?

Since late September, rising prices for vegetables across China had triggered concern among consumers and vendors, with some leafy greens reportedly costing more than pork.

Last month, the average wholesale price for 28 types of vegetables monitored by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs was 5.25 yuan (82 cents) per kg, a rise of 16.7 percent from September and a year-on-year rise of 11.7 percent.

In the final week of last month, the average price for 19 varieties of vegetable rose by 49.1 percent from a year ago, and was up by 13.5 percent from the previous week.

Since late September, main vegetable producing areas in the north of the country, including Liaoning, Shandong and Hebei provinces and Inner Mongolia autonomous region, experienced torrential rain, which left fields waterlogged.

Autumn vegetables were damaged in the floods. Varieties such as cucumber and spinach could not be sent to market, while planting of new crops was delayed.