The nation's financial markets and most businesses in northern Taiwan were closed yesterday amid Typhoon Nock-Ten's high winds and intermittent rainfall, while consumers were busy buying vegetables for fear of potential price hikes in the coming days.
But prices of vegetables remained stable at discounters and supermarkets yesterday, and a government official asked consumers not to panic over possible typhoon damage.
PHOTO: CHUO YI-CHUN, TAIPEI TIMES
"As production sites of crops in southern Taiwan are not affected by the typhoon, it is expected that vegetable prices will not rise sharply," said Wang Jen-shiao (
The Taipei Markets Administration Office manages 62 traditional wet markets, 11 wholesale markets and 31 public supermarkets in the capital.
Prices may edge up today as a result of psychological factors just as they have in the past, Wang said.
The nation's two largest discount chains, Carrefour Taiwan and RT-Mart (
"Prices of vegetables per bunch [250g] are between NT$9 and NT$12 depending on each outlet's situation," said Jurene Hsiao (
Hsiao said huge crowds rushed to Carrefour on Sunday night to purchase instant noodles, canned food and vegetables. But the number of such shoppers fell as the typhoon swept across northern Taiwan, bringing less rainfall than expected.
Even so, RT-Mart also tripled its commodity supplies yesterday to meet surging demand, according to marketing manager Fiona Wang (
Wang said their promotional price for green leafy vegetables, NT$7 per bunch, will remain unchanged until Nov. 2 as the contract with suppliers had been inked two months ago.
Piano Chia (賈開琴), senior marketing manager of Wellcome Taiwan Co (惠康百貨), which runs Wellcome supermarkets nationwide, attributed the stable prices to their sufficient supplies in storage before the arrival of the typhoon.
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