From late July to early August 2026, reports highlighted sharp price increases for some vegetables, including spinach and cucumbers. However, short-term growth rates, monthly averages, and prices compared with normal years are based on different standards and cannot be compared as if they were the same indicator. When shopping, check the item, specification, region, distribution stage, and survey date together.
Key Changes
According to an Edaily report, the retail price of spinach, measured per 100 grams, rose 82.5% from 884 won on July 1, 2026, to 1,613 won on July 30. The price of 10 cucumbers also rose 81.2% over the same period, from 7,435 won to 13,470 won.
As of August 3, wholesale price changes compared with one month earlier varied significantly by item. Reports said that prices rose 168.6% for zucchini, 113.6% for 4 kilograms of spinach, 99.8% for 50 pickling cucumbers, and 87.7% for 20 Korean zucchinis. The wholesale price of 50 top-grade pickling cucumbers at Seoul’s Garak Market recently exceeded 40,000 won, more than 60% higher than a year earlier.
Even when a short-term increase is large, figures based on different survey standards cannot be directly compared with monthly averages or prices from normal years.
Current Conditions
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs explained that frequent rainfall in mid-July 2026 reduced cucumber shipments, causing prices to rise slightly in the latter part of the month. However, it said the average July wholesale price of cucumbers was 7.1% below normal-year levels and 6.8% above the previous year.
The ministry forecast that supply and demand conditions for fruit vegetables would be generally stable in August. At the same time, it said it would inspect crop conditions and adjust shipments in preparation for possible growth delays and lower shipment volumes if the heat wave continued. It also explained that normal-year wholesale cucumber prices rise seasonally, from 34,719 won in May to 73,103 won in August.
Therefore, the verified data do not support concluding that prices for all vegetables rose nationwide by the same degree. The situation combines sharp short-term price increases with the government’s assessment that overall supply and demand conditions remain stable.
Impact
Price changes may affect ingredient choices for home-cooked meals and restaurant menus. Related reports introduced some cases in the restaurant industry where cucumber garnishes were reduced or replaced with other ingredients. However, these examples should not be generalized as a common trend across the entire restaurant industry.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government’s price information listed the following August 2026 average prices at traditional markets and large supermarkets.
| Item and specification | Traditional market average | Large supermarket average |
|---|---|---|
| Spinach, 1 bunch | 6,642 won | 5,608 won |
| Dadaegi cucumber, 1 | 886 won | 973 won |
| Red-leaf lettuce, 100 g | 1,463 won | 2,066 won |
These figures are averages for markets and supermarkets in Seoul and should be distinguished from prices for other regions or specifications. KAMIS also provides agricultural product prices by item and specification, so it is important to compare prices under the same conditions.
What to Check Next
These price changes may look different depending on the survey date and distribution stage. When checking prices again, match the following criteria:
- Confirm that the item and specification are the same.
- Distinguish between retail and wholesale prices.
- Check whether the comparison is with the previous day, month, year, or a normal year.
- Confirm whether the figure is nationwide or an average for a specific region.
The Korea Meteorological Administration said that an analysis of data from 1973 to 2025 found that the annual number of heat-wave days nationwide increased by 1.8 days per decade, while the number of tropical nights increased by 1.6 days per decade. The number of heat-wave days in the most recent 10-year period was about 2.2 times that of the preceding 10-year period. Because heat waves and rainfall can affect agricultural shipment conditions, check the latest prices for the same specification, region, and survey date through KAMIS and Seoul’s price information immediately before publication.
Source verification:
- Edaily, “Afraid to Shop in the Heat Wave… Vegetable Prices Including Spinach and Cucumbers Soar,” checked August 2, 2026: https://www.edaily.co.kr/News/Read?mediaCodeNo=257&newsId=02256646645543384
- Edaily, “How the Heat Wave Changed Summer Dining Tables… Cucumbers Disappear from Cold Noodles,” checked August 7, 2026: https://www.edaily.co.kr/News/Read?mediaCodeNo=257&newsId=07852326645545024
- Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, “Summer Supply and Demand Trends and Response for Major Fruit Vegetables,” checked August 4, 2026: https://mafra.go.kr/bbs/home/792/578633/artclView.do
- Korea Meteorological Administration, “Heat Waves Arrive Earlier and Tropical Nights Continue into Later Hours…,” checked July 24, 2026: https://www.kma.go.kr/kma/news/press.jsp?bid=press&from=2026-05-04&mode=view&num=1194695&page=1&to=2026-08-04
- KAMIS Price Information, checked August 31, 2026: https://www.kamis.or.kr/customer/price/online/catalogue.do?action=daily&convert_kg_yn=N
- Seoul Metropolitan Government market and supermarket comparison, checked August 31, 2026: https://sftc.seoul.go.kr/seoul/mulga/pricesCmpr/mrktTy/list.do?menuNo=200010