While oil prices are a concern on the minds of many car owners in China, shoppers are frowning on another wave of vegetable prices increase. Following hikes in garlic and ginger prices last year, green onions are being sold at nearly twice the price from a few months ago.

Following hikes in garlic and ginger prices last year, green onions are being sold at nearly twice the price from a few months ago.

In the northeast Heilongjiang province, a customer said, "It's too expensive now. I don't buy new ones, but only count on the leftovers."

In the southeast metropolitan Shanghai, a customer said, "Last year it was about 2 yuan per kilo for wholesale, now it is 6 yuan."

In the southern coastal city Guangzhou, a customer said, "The price has gone up from 5 yuan all the way to 10 yuan per kilo in the past two weeks."

And in Beijing, where living expenses is even higher, two pieces of green onions cost 10 yuan, a shock to many buyers.

And even if home budget controllers can find other alternatives to green onions, restaurant owners still have to shoulder the heavy burden.

"Stir frying lamb with onions costs us too much. And the prices of the two major ingredients are getting too high. There's no profit. We've stopped serving it."

Wholesalers in vegetable market said last year many farmers chose to grow garlic and ginger over green onions. So the yield of onion this year has largely decreased, which greatly pushed up the price.

Peng Cai, supermarket manager of Qitaihe City, Heilongjiang Province, said, "Another reason is that the snowfalls have affected the logistic process and we can't get enough supply."

Experts have suggested wider information coverage on crops prices and growing scale, so farmers can have a better idea of what's needed in the market.

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