By Oh Gwui-hwan

The retail price of rice has surged nearly 30% from a year ago, topping 270,000 won per sack.

According to the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT) on the 4th, the average retail price of rice surpassed 68,000 won per 20 kilograms on the 2nd. At 68,435 won per 20 kilograms, that converts to 273,740 won per sack (80 kilograms). The price on the 22nd of last month was 63,991 won, rising by more than 4,000 won in ten days. Rice prices are up 29.2% from last year (52,980 won) and 25% from the average year (54,747 won).

Rice prices have been jumping in recent months as inventories at producing-area distributors have tightened, influenced by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs’ market-isolation purchase of 260,000 tons to prevent a price decline during last year’s harvest season. According to the National Data Office’s “September consumer price trends” released on the 2nd, the consumer price of rice rose 15.9% from the same month last year.

The ministry said it supplied 55,000 tons of government grain to producing-area distributors through a lending method, and as of the 25th, the producing-area rice price was 226,816 won per 80 kilograms, up 0.7% from ten days earlier, indicating a slowing pace of increase.

The ministry predicted that producing-area rice prices will stabilize after mid-month, when newly harvested rice is in full swing, and that consumer rice prices can also make a soft landing. The ministry said it plans to convene the Grain Supply and Demand Stabilization Committee, with participation from the government, producers, producing-area distributors, and experts, in mid-month to establish measures for this year’s rice harvest season.

Published Date: October 4, 2025