Typhoon Baihaitun Cuts Yangtze Delta Leafy Vegetable Supply 30%; Shanghai Prices Up 11%, Retailers Boost

Typhoon Baihaitun made landfall, bringing torrential rain to Zhejiang, Shanghai and Jiangsu, flooding vegetable bases and tightening local leafy green supply. Wholesale merchants trading in Yangtze River Delta greens report purchase volumes down about 30% from earlier levels, with certain varieties in short supply, prompting efforts to source from multiple channels.

Supply from other regions is filling the gap. Vegetables from Ningxia, Gansu and Yunnan continue to arrive at wholesale markets, with trading volumes remaining stable. At the trading centre, numerous trucks are parked with vegetables, potatoes and eggplants awaiting distribution. A Ningxia greens wholesaler sells nearly 6,000 boxes daily; sales dipped slightly in the two days after the typhoon but recovered to normal levels on the 11th. In fruit, seasonal varieties including peaches, grapes and pears are arriving in large volumes; sales have declined as rain reduced travel, but supply remains broadly adequate.

Government authorities have taken multiple response measures. After heavy rain hit Qingpu District in Shanghai on August 9, agricultural departments worked with cooperatives to pump water from greenhouses and clear drainage channels. The Shanghai Municipal Agricultural and Rural Affairs Commission has required all agricultural districts to strengthen field management, organising production around rapid harvesting, reinforcement, drainage and risk avoidance. As of 8am on August 9, greenhouse reinforcement covered 74,500 mu of vegetable facilities and 18,000 mu of fruit facilities; 8,479 mu of vegetables (3,839 tonnes) and 12,900 mu of fruit (3,145 tonnes) had been harvested. A total of 189 ocean fishing vessels returned to port for shelter, and 55,000 mu of aquaculture ponds were drained.

Fresh food retailers are stepping up supply guarantees. Some retail platforms pre-stocked based on past typhoon experience, increasing overall inventory by 30% to 50% or more above normal levels, prioritising meat, poultry, eggs, vegetables, milk, drinking water, rice, flour and cooking oil. Supermarkets including RT-Mart activated emergency stockpiling plans, increasing purchases of leafy greens, root vegetables, meat and aquatic products; online delivery orders have grown significantly, and delivery schedules are being flexibly adjusted to safeguard supply chain stability. Several chain restaurant operators said store ingredients had been pre-stocked and logistics secured, with supply not significantly affected.