South Korea’s import prices of grain has jumped nearly 50 percent over the past two years to a near nine-year high amid the prolonged coronavirus pandemic, data showed.

Prices of imported grains came to $386 per ton in February, up 26 percent from a year earlier and 47.4 percent from two years earlier, according to the data from the Korea Customs Service and industry sources.

The February per-ton import price represented the highest level since it reached $388 in May 2013.

Last month, Asia’s fourth-largest economy imported 1.96 million tons of wheat, corn and other grains, which were valued at $758.3 million. (Yonhap)