Life of Guangzhou - Heavy Rains Cause Vegetable Prices to Surge

Continuous days of hard rain have aggravated harvest and supply problems for the vegetable market, pushing prices up by at least 30% both in the wholesale and retail markets in Guangzhou.

日暴雨造成广州蔬菜“身价”暴涨。市内多个蔬果批发市场和肉菜街市发现，蔬菜批发价平均出现了三成涨幅。

Insiders said prices will continue to soar for about two more weeks due to the influence of lingering rains in South China, but will drop eventually once weather conditions improve and supply reinforcements arrive from other provinces.

贵价菜将可能持续一段时间，但随着外省市菜源的补充供应和天气的好转，相信菜价会逐渐降低。

Short supply despite high price in wholesale

批发市场有价无货

The charge for local vegetables have all increased variably in wholesale markets, some costing five times as much. They are still in short supply despite high prices. Rainstorms flood many vegetable farms, rotting the vegetables and condemning the supply to heavy shrinkage, according to many local dealers.

在广州多个蔬果批发市场，连日暴雨后，蔬菜价格均不同程度出现了上涨，有点甚至连升5倍。暴雨令许多蔬菜基地出现了水浸，蔬菜被浸烂，因此供应一度出现紧张。

Days of heavy rain have brought vegetable farming in Guangzhou's suburbs to a standstill. (Guangzhou Daily)

Fortunately, supplies from other provinces come into Guangzhou and help ease the price surge. The prices of these vegetables, however, are not low, due to transportation costs.

外省市蔬菜批发商也瞄准商机趁机大举进货入广州，外省市来货由于长途运输，因此成本高、来价贵。

Fewer leafy vegetables in retail stores

叶菜零售供应不足

At retail markets, the amount of leafy vegetables for sale is down by some 20% from normal. The price for each 0.5 kilo ranges between ￥2.5-3.5 (US$ 0.36-0.51), 100% higher than usual.

零售市场的蔬菜价格涨幅还要远远高于批发价涨幅，但不同市场的具体涨幅有较大区别。叶菜零售价普遍都是2.5元到3元。

Prices of vegetables way up. (Guangzhou Daily)

The price of melons and beans has increased to over ￥1.0 (US$ 0.14) per each 0.5 kilo.

瓜豆也普遍涨到了1元/500克以上的价格。

The rainy weather is forecasted to abate starting June 18. However, it will take some time for farmers to replant and re-harvest vegetables to boost the supply, according to an insider.

业内人士估计，由于天气原因叶菜上市量减少两成左右，暴雨还在持续，贵价菜的情况估计还要再持续十来天，“天气预报说18日后雨水会减少，届时情况估计会好转。”该人士表示，天气转好后农民会再种菜，但要过一段时间才能上市。