
Veggie prices skyrocket in the north ahead of storm
Shoppers are flocking to supermarkets and stores in Northern Taiwan to prepare for the typhoon. Fresh produce, especially leafy greens are flying off the shelves. Already, the prices of some vegetables, such as cilantro and celery have shot up. Over in Yilan, spring onion farmers are rushing to harvest their crops to avoid damage from the storm.
Amid a break from the rain, a spring onion farmer in Sanxing rushes to harvest the produce before Typhoon Krathon strikes. The previous typhoon had devastated farmers in Central and Southern Taiwan, and they can’t afford for the same to happen in Yilan.
Lee Chih-yuan
Farmer’s association
Farmers think that if prices go up, that’d be great. But they don’t want them to go up too much. If consumer purchasing power weakens that actually has a negative effect.
Hulin Market in Taipei is closed on Mondays, but some locals are out shopping before the storm strikes. Cilantro has surged to NT$350 per catty, or 600g. That’s 2.5 times its previous price. Celery is now 60% more expensive than before, at NT$400 per catty.
Ms. Huang
Greengrocer
We and other vendors that went to buy veggies were a bit hopeful. But in the end, we arrived a little late and there wasn’t any left. Cilantro was just at NT$100 on Friday, and the next day it had shot up by more than NT$200.
If you’re hoping to buy some veggies before the typhoon, you might have to shop around. In the north, prices have gone up by an average of 20% to 30%. Bok choy and sweet potato leaves have shot up by 60%.
Carrefour has boosted its stocks of leafy greens and instant noodles by 40% to 50% and 20% to 30% respectively. Meanwhile, Simple Mart has upped products in stock by 20% to 30%, and has launched an offer for bottled water and frozen dumplings, much to the delight of bargain hunters.
Shopper
The rain is okay for now. I might be stuck at home for two days. So I’m all set, I think. I already bought some veggies yesterday.
Chang Chun-hung
Supermarket chain
It so happens that today is Monday, when traditional markets close. So we’re keeping an additional 40% to 50% of stock.
With a typhoon on the horizon, shoppers, convenience stores, shopkeepers and markets are taking action to minimize the impact of the storm.
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2024-09-30