Wang Yuanyuan
VEGETABLE prices are expected to remain stable during the Spring Festival due to a large number of people leaving the city for the holidays.
Although prices could increase slightly because of the cold weather, they would not increase sharply during the festival because of abundant supplies and fewer consumers, said Lin Shaoru, a manager at Buji Farm Produce Wholesale Market.
The average price for green vegetables was expected to remain at 1.8 yuan (US$0.27) per 500 grams, similar to last week s average, while other vegetables such as potatoes, tomatoes and peppers would be about 1.5 to 2 yuan per 500 grams, Lin said.
Market officials conducted an inspection tour of Guangdong, Hainan, Fujian, Shandong and Yunnan provinces over the past two weeks and found no problems affecting quality or supplies for Shenzhen.
Many people return home for the Spring Festival. This would result in a fall in demand for vegetables. If there was no sharp fall in temperatures before the festival, there was unlikely to be a sharp rise in vegetable prices in the holidays, Lin said.
However, prices of other products, such as fruit, alcohol and dried food, could increase at least 30 percent during the festival because of increases in production and labor costs, Lin said.
Sales of fruit increase sharply over the holidays and prices would also rise if temperatures fall, he said.
Prices for Chinese alcohol such as Luzhou Laojiao and Wuliangye also increased by about 30 percent this month, The popular Moutai had already sold out.
Prices for medium-quality tea remained stable at present, but prices for high-quality tea had increased by nearly 50 percent over the past two months. Prices for medium-quality tea have remained stable over the past year, so the prices could increase slightly over the holidays, Lin said.
