Even in scorching heat hovering around 40 degrees, cabbage and radishes are growing in the highlands of Gangwon above 600 meters above sea level. The cabbage crop is in good shape this summer.
The problem is the price. July cabbage prices fell 63% from a year earlier. It is due to a combination of lower consumption and higher production.
◇ Highland cabbage in Anbandegi with a history of more than 50 years
Korea's highland agriculture began in the late 1950s. At the time, agriculture officials visiting Japan found that radishes and cabbage were being distributed in Tokyo markets even in midsummer. A survey showed the vegetables were grown in cool Hokkaido. After returning, the officials began trial cultivation in Daegwallyeong, which has similar natural conditions, and highland agriculture in the country later took off in earnest.
A representative production area is Anbandegi in Daegiri, Wangsan-myeon, Gangneung. In the mid-1960s, under a policy to boost grain output, migrant farmers developed slash-and-burn fields and opened up the village. They began cultivating cabbage in the 1970s, and it has since become Korea's leading highland cabbage production area.
The representative highland crops are cabbage and radish. Cabbage is the main ingredient of kimchi and one of the most consumed vegetables in the country. Highland cabbage grown above 600 meters thrives in a relatively cool environment even in midsummer, making its heads firm and taste good, so it is widely used for summer kimchi.
Cabbage first appears in Hyangyakjugbang, a Goryeo-era medical text. At the time it was used medicinally, and cultivation for food spread during the Joseon era. The tightly headed "heading cabbage" we know today became widespread after the 1900s. Radishes are believed to have come to the Korean Peninsula via China during the Three Kingdoms period. Beyond kimchi, they are used in soups, braises, fresh salads, and pickles, making them the second most consumed vegetable after cabbage.
◇ Daegwallyeong temperatures up 2.2 degrees; kimchi consumption down 22% in 10 years
But the environment surrounding highland vegetables is changing rapidly. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, the average maximum temperature in Daegwallyeong-myeon, which was 11.3 C in the 1990s, rose by 2.2 degrees to 13.5 C in the most recent five years (2019–2023).
Cabbage is a representative cool-season vegetable that grows well in a chilly climate. As temperatures rise, growth deteriorates and pest and disease damage increases. In the fields, viral diseases, fusarium wilt, and nematodes are cited as chronic problems. To avoid continuous-cropping damage that occurs when growing cabbage in the same field, more farms are switching to crops such as cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) or potatoes.
Consumption has also decreased. Korea's annual per capita kimchi consumption is about 36.5 kilograms, down 22% in 10 years. When production increases while consumption declines, downward pressure on prices intensifies.
◇ Cabbage prices plunge 63%; about 60% cheaper than the average year
That is the case this year. Spring cabbage production this year is projected at 358,108 tons, 14.1% higher than an average year. Highland cabbage in Pyeongchang and Jeongseon, Gangwon, is generally in good condition. However, in open fields in other regions, some internal browning occurred due to hot and humid weather.
As production has increased, prices have fallen sharply. In July, cabbage was 3,897 won per 10 kilograms. That is 63% lower than 10,481 won in the same month last year. It is about 60% cheaper compared with the average-year price of 9,687 won.
Summer cabbage is a bit different. The cultivated area is down 4.4% from last year. Farms have switched to crops such as cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) or potatoes to prevent continuous-cropping damage. However, with favorable weather conditions so far, yield per unit area is expected to increase from last year.
Radish prices are also weak. In July, radishes were 9,766 won per 20 kilograms, down 26% from 13,124 won last year. Compared with the average-year price of 14,394 won, they are 32% lower. Shipments of overwintered radishes were delayed, overlapping with the shipping period for spring radishes.
The summer radish cultivation area decreased 6.4% from last year. Due to falling prices during last year's shipping season and the spread of bacterial wilt, farms' willingness to cultivate declined. Low temperatures during sowing are also delaying growth in some areas. Accordingly, there is an outlook that summer radish prices will rise compared with spring radishes.
Lee Jun-yeon, head of the Daegwallyeong Horticulture Agricultural Cooperative, said, "Highland vegetables are an important business responsible for the supply of fresh vegetables in our country during the summer and a key foundation that supports Gangwon agriculture and rural communities," adding, "As cultivation conditions become more difficult due to climate change and rising production costs, policy support and supply-demand stabilization measures should back efforts to maintain a stable production base."