Prices for Chuseok ancestral rite tables this year rose slightly from last year.
According to Korea Price Information, a professional price survey agency, on the 4th, the total expense for a Chuseok ancestral rite table at a traditional market for a family of four was tallied at 302,500 won. That was up 3,500 won (1.2%) from last year.
The grocery shopping expense at large discount stores was 397,700 won, up 6,350 won (1.6%) from last year. Based on traditional markets, the ancestral rite table expense was 302,500 won, up 3,500 won (1.17%) from last year.
The rise in Chuseok ancestral rite table expense was largely due to higher prices for chicken and eggs. In traditional markets, the price of 1.5 kilograms of chicken was 9,000 won, up 12.5% from a year earlier. The price of 10 eggs was 3,500 won, up 16.7%. Analysts said worsened breeding conditions caused by the summer heat wave fueled the price increases.
Among seafood, the price of Russian pollock fillet was 13,000 won, jumping 30% from last year. It was affected by higher oil prices and exchange rates. Among vegetables, the price of radish rose 20% and zucchini 33.3%.
By contrast, prices for apples, pears, dried persimmons, jujubes, new-crop rice, songpyeon, and tofu were unchanged. The price of a head of napa cabbage fell 11.1%.
Lee Dong-hoon, Head of Team at Korea Price Information, said, "This summer's heat wave and heavy downpours drove up prices of some agricultural, livestock, and seafood products," adding, "However, as temperatures have recently dropped, growing and shipping conditions for agricultural products are gradually improving, and shipments of new-crop products will also get into full swing."