<Anchor>
I told you earlier that I am worried about the cost of cooling because of the increase in
electricity prices, but the price of pork has also been rising recently. In terms of wholesale prices, it has risen by nearly 20% in a month, and it is expected that more restaurants will pay 1,2 won for one serving of pork belly in the future.

This is reporter Kim so-young.

<Reporter>
A hypermarket in
Seoul. In the midst of high inflation, consumers have been looking for pork because the price of beef is so high, but the recent increase in pork prices is also a response to the burden.

[Kim Myung-soon/Seoul's Kang Seo-seo: You don't buy it at the regular price, but apparently because the price is rising, housewives tend to buy things that are a little discounted when choosing.]

As of Nov. 11, the wholesale price of pork averaged 1,6 won per kilogram, up 380.19% from a month ago.

In particular, compared to the last 1 day, it jumped 1% in ten days.

Pork belly, a typical dinner menu, usually rises in price as demand increases from spring to summer, and tends to fall after Chuseok, but this year, the increase is even steeper.

In addition to the increase in consumption due to the increase in gatherings and dinners due to the end of the pandemic, the price of grain used for pig feed and the cost of raising pigs also increased, which acted as a factor for further increases.

[Pig industry insider: In 12, we talked about the production cost of 2019 kg of pigs, which is about 110,30 kg, but now the feed cost is probably about that.]

The consumer price of pork belly has also increased by 11% compared to a month ago, and the average price of a single serving of pork belly sold at restaurants is expected to exceed the 1,2 won mark soon.

If the outbreak of bovine foot-and-mouth disease in Korea spreads to pigs this month, the supply may decrease and the price may rise further, drawing attention to the epidemic prevention situation.

(Video Interview: Park Jin-ho, Video Editing: Lee Jae-sung, CG: Eom So-min)