Recently, there has been a surge in demand for Chinese vegetables in the Korean market, especially the import of green onions and cabbage.
According to the latest data, China's exports of green onions and cabbage to South Korea have surged by 764 percent and 171 percent, respectively, a rare increase in agricultural trade.
South Koreans love Chinese vegetables not only because of their price advantage, but also because the quality of Chinese vegetables has been widely recognized.
As soon as the news spread, some Chinese netizens gloated and said: "Koreans still say that Chinese vegetables are unpalatable, but now they eat them every day, which is really a reversal of their own words."
Other netizens said, "Koreans drooled when they saw Chinese vegetables" and "Koreans who lost to Chinese vegetables said they were very congested".
A Korean netizen who is fluent in Chinese made such a voice.
"Friends, food knows no borders, let's work together to create food!"
Yes, delicacies do know no borders.
Although there are some differences between China and South Korea due to some historical reasons, there are many similarities in the field of food culture.
Whether it's South Korea's spicy cabbage and army pot, or China's mapo tofu and mushu pork, they are all equally mouth-watering.
Chinese food is of similar quality to local Korean food, and it is cheap
In order to cater to the tastes and needs of consumers, large supermarkets in South Korea have set up special sections for Chinese vegetables and launched advertising slogans such as "Cooking Chinese food, experiencing exotic flavors" to attract customers.
In addition, many Korean restaurants have also added new Chinese-inspired dishes to their menus, which not only enrich the tables of Koreans, but also bring them a new dining experience.
The owner of a Chinese restaurant in Seoul said they had added a side dish with Chinese characteristics to their bibimbap, an innovative move that was warmly welcomed by diners.
He believes that the innovative integration of Chinese cuisine with local Korean ingredients not only saves costs, but also improves the taste of dishes, achieving a win-win situation.
South Koreans are becoming more dependent on Chinese vegetables, thanks in large part to their affordability and quality comparable to local Korean cuisine.
In the recent Korean market, green onions and cabbage produced in China have been widely welcomed due to their high price-performance ratio.
According to market feedback, Chinese vegetables not only have an advantage in price, but also have been recognized by Korean consumers for their freshness and taste.
This recognition is reflected in the daily dining table of Korean households, as well as in the menu updates of the restaurant industry.
Many Korean families have started to include Chinese vegetables as part of their daily diet, and restaurants have enriched their menu options by introducing Chinese vegetables to satisfy customers' quest for new flavors.
The price factor is the main driving force for South Koreans to choose Chinese vegetables. As the price of vegetables in Korea continues to rise, the economics of Chinese vegetables are particularly important.
Under cost pressure, consumers are naturally looking for more cost-effective options, and Chinese vegetables meet this demand.
In addition, cultural exchange and dietary diversity are also one of the reasons for the increased dependence of Korean people on Chinese vegetables.
With the deepening of globalization, Korean people have shown a strong interest in trying different national flavors.
As a country with a rich food culture, China has a wide variety of vegetables, which can provide a variety of dietary choices for the Korean people.
However, this dependence has also sparked discussions about the impact on agriculture in South Korea.
Some South Korean agriculturalists are concerned that if consumers become overly reliant on imported vegetables, it could have a negative impact on their country's agricultural production.
In order to balance this issue, the South Korean government and relevant departments are considering measures to protect the development of domestic agriculture, such as improving the competitiveness of domestic agricultural products while controlling the volume of imports.
The current "vegetable basket" vegetable prices in South Korea continue to rise, mainly due to some problems and challenges on the supply side
First, due to bad weather, the supply of vegetables in Korea has declined. Last year, South Korea was hit by unusually severe cold and heavy snowfall, causing damage to some open-air vegetable greenhouses.
This spring, successive rains and typhoons adversely affected vegetable planting and growth in parts of the country. As a result, the production of local vegetables in South Korea has dropped significantly.
Second, the number of vegetable farmers in South Korea continues to decline. In recent years, South Korea's rural population has aged and the labor exodus of young and middle-aged workers has intensified.
Many traditional farmers are too old to engage in intensive agricultural work, while young people are generally reluctant to work in agriculture, a relatively low-income industry.
As a result of the decrease in the number of workers, the cultivated area and vegetable production have also decreased accordingly.
Third, the cost of agricultural production in South Korea continues to rise. The rising prices of agricultural inputs such as fertilizers, pesticides and seeds, coupled with the increase in the prices of agricultural water and electricity, have caused farmers to increase their planting costs.
However, the price of vegetables did not increase at the same time, resulting in a decline in the income of vegetable farmers. While reducing the production enthusiasm and scale of vegetable farmers, it also aggravates the shortage of vegetable supply.
Fourth, vegetable imports have encountered resistance. In response to the lack of domestic supply, South Korea has been relying on imported vegetables to meet market demand.
However, due to changes in the global trade environment and rising freight costs, the price of imported vegetables has also risen.
At the same time, South Koreans also have certain food safety concerns about the import of vegetables from some countries, which limits the supply of imported vegetables in South Korea.
Overall, the decline in domestic vegetable production, rising agricultural production costs, and a decrease in the number of vegetable farmers, coupled with the blockage of imported vegetable supplies, have led to a severe shortage of vegetables in South Korea.
According to the law of supply in economics, a decrease in supply will inevitably lead to an increase in prices. Therefore, the multiple problems on the supply side are the root cause of the soaring prices of South Korea's "vegetable basket".
First of all, China and South Korea can complement each other in terms of the types of agricultural products. China has a wide variety of agricultural products, and there are some agricultural products that are difficult to grow in Korea or have low yields, such as tropical and subtropical fruits.
At the same time, South Korea has obvious advantages in some temperate crops and special agricultural products, such as chili peppers, garlic, ginseng, mushrooms, etc., which can meet the needs of Chinese consumers.
By expanding complementary trade in agricultural products, consumers in both countries will have more choice of agricultural products.
Secondly, in terms of the distribution of production time, China and South Korea have complementary advantages.
China is a vast country, spanning temperate, subtropical, and tropical zones from north to south, and there is a ladder distribution of agricultural production time, while South Korea concentrates on a shorter period of the year.
Therefore, at different times, the two countries can complement each other's agricultural products through trade to meet the needs of each other's markets.
The two countries can also learn from and promote each other in many fields, such as agricultural science and technology, production and circulation of agricultural products, and promote the process of agricultural modernization of each other.
Looking to the future, as long as there is mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, the trade of agricultural products between China and South Korea will surely usher in broader development prospects.
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