With the Chuseok holiday just a month away, grocery prices are starting to rise.

According to agricultural product distribution data on September 8, the average retail price for a carton of 30 premium eggs was 7,041 won as of September 7, up 11.6 percent from 6,309 won a year ago. The increase is attributed to reduced egg production caused by the summer heatwave, which led to the death of laying hens. The price of a carton of premium eggs has remained above 7,000 won for five consecutive months since May.

Domestic pork belly is now priced at 2,824 won per 100 grams as of September 7, up 7.6 percent from 2,625 won a year ago. First-grade domestic sirloin beef is 9,668 won per 100 grams, a 21.6 percent increase from 7,948 won last year. The rise in prices is linked to a decline in livestock numbers. As of the second quarter, the population of Korean native cattle dropped by 5.8 percent, and pigs by 1.5 percent compared to a year ago.

A 20-kilogram bag of rice was priced at 60,538 won as of September 5, up 17.7 percent from a year earlier. Rice prices crossed the 60,000-won mark for the first time this year on September 1, making the cost of a single bowl of rice exceed 300 won.

Hongro apples were 29,041 won for 10 as of September 5, up 13.6 percent from 25,563 won a year ago.

However, prices dropped 12.4 percent compared to last week. The Korea Rural Economic Institute’s Agricultural Outlook Center expects that, due to the unusually late timing of this year’s Chuseok, the supply of apples and pears will increase compared to last year, leading to relatively stable prices during the holiday season.

Statistics Korea reports that the fresh food price index reached 134.04 last month, a 2.1 percent increase from a year earlier. It stood at 100 in 2020.

Due to concentrated heavy rains and the summer heatwave, consumer prices for agricultural and livestock products rose 4.4 percent from a year ago in August, marking the largest increase since July of last year.

At his first press briefing at the Government Complex in Sejong, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol said, “While consumer inflation was in the 1 percent range in August, it is expected to rise to the 2 percent range in September. We will expand the supply of Chuseok seasonal goods to an unprecedented level and increase discount support as much as possible within the government’s capacity to stabilize prices.” He added that “the government will soon announce measures to stabilize prices ahead of the Chuseok holiday.”