North China's vegetable prices soar due to snow

(chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2009-11-12 17:23

Vegetable prices are up drastically in north China due to the snowy weather, with Tianjin municipality, Hebei, Shanxi, Henan and Shaanxi provinces at the top of the vegetable prices list, the Economic Information Daily reported.

The heavy snow has stranded transportation of vegetables from other provinces, causing vegetable prices to soar, according to reports.

Celery and lettuce sold out on Wednesday, and the price of another 11 types of vegetables rose by 33% to 150% in Shijiazhuang, capital of Hebei province, according to a market information collector there. Goods at Qiaoxi vegetable wholesale market had been reduced by one third and vegetable prices in supermarkets soared overnight.

“A cabbage costs 10 yuan ($ 1.4) -- what a price!” a customer surnamed Li said at Beiguo supermarket in Shijiazhuang. Leeks sold for 8 yuan ($1.1) per kilogram, which were priced at 4 yuan just two days ago, she added.

Shijiazhuang, capital of Hebei province, has recorded 48 cm of snowfall, the heaviest snowstorm in 54 years, causing highway closures and traffic chaos. Some vehicles were stranded for more than ten hours.