SEOUL, May 13 (Korea Bizwire) — As the coronavirus outbreak drags on, a growing number of South Koreans are choosing to stay at home, growing fresh produce themselves and taking advantage of the moment to experiment with time-consuming food preparation.
According to WeMakePrice Inc., a local open market operator, sales of seedlings increased significantly in the months of March and April this year, with sales of lettuce seedlings rising 3,398 percent and sales of seedlings of peppers rising 456 percent compared to the same period last year.
Sales of seedling “garden flower pots” jumped 3,066 percent.
Furthermore, sales of “jar for growing bean sprouts” rose 1,284 percent, while sales of “sprout growers” that grow sprout vegetables also rose 484 percent.
Meanwhile, more and more people are purchasing rice flour, which saw a 1387 percent increase in sales, and tteoksiru (rice cake steamers), which saw a 181 percent increase.
“Items or products that can help people be self-sufficient and can be used during free time are becoming popular due to confinement at home,” a WeMakePrice official said.
Image Credit: WeMakePrice / Korea Bizwire / photonews@koreabizwire.com
