China vegetables Hong Kong

Drought in China’s north is contrasting with a wet, cold winter in the country’s south, which has been pushing the pricing of fresh produce up for the past several weeks.

The cold spell in south and southwest China have been having a significant impact on vegetable production and distribution, reported the China Daily.

Prices have risen for the last four weeks consecutively, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

Eggplant, green capsicum and cucumber prices rose 10 per cent in the week ending 16 January alone. The price of meat and cooking oil also rose slightly.

The increased winter produce costs are a continuation of the food price inflation that has been concerning China’s government since early last year, with staple fruit and vegetable pricing steadily rising in the country.