Farmers planted between 15 percent and 20 percent fewer leeks and ginger this year as other crops promised better returns, experts said. There was also bad weather in the main production areas which affected the harvest.

Leeks were selling at an average wholesale price of CNY4.56 (USD0.69) per kilogram last month, almost double their price the same time last year, and a 70.8 percent increase from June, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. The last time leeks were this expensive was four years ago.

Ginger, meanwhile, was costing CNY14.08 (USD2.15) per kilogram in November, a six-year high. This is a 45.9 percent hike from June and a 71.5 percent jump from the same period last year.

Leeks and ginger are both staples of Chinese cuisine and fluctuations in their price can affect the stability of the nation's food prices. The price of ginger is likely to come down a bit as a new harvest will soon come to market, one expert said. But the price of leeks will stay high as supply remains short.

Editor: Kim Taylor