🥬 Nov 2026 Vegetable Price Outlook: Daikon & Cabbage Up, Onion Down

❓ What was announced

On October 30, 2026, Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) released its outlook for vegetable growing conditions and wholesale prices for November 2026 at the Tokyo Central Wholesale Market. Based on interviews with major production areas and wholesalers, it shows, item by item, how prices are expected to move against the five-year average ("normal"); MAFF has published this monthly since 2011 to help producers plan shipments, help consumers plan purchases, and stabilize supply and prices. For November, daikon, nappa cabbage (hakusai), cabbage and broccoli are expected above normal: prolonged rain and low sunshine in September plus typhoon damage left fields that could not be sown, delayed growth, and smaller heads. Carrots, green onions (negi) and lettuce split by half-month, moving to above or slightly above normal in the second half. By contrast, onions — 90% from Hokkaido — are sizing up large with shipments above normal, and taro (satoimo) from Saitama and Ehime is growing well, so both are expected below normal in price. Spinach, eggplant, tomato and potato stay around normal. "Around normal" means roughly 90–110% of the five-year average. Note that this outlook is measured against that average, so it is a different gauge from overall inflation (2025-base CPI for September 2026: 102.2 overall, 103.6 for food).

👥 Who this affects

• ●Foreign residents in Japan who cook and shop for themselves (wholesale moves feed through to supermarket prices)
• ●Households budgeting November meals and grocery spending, especially families and students
• ●Anyone whose winter menu leans on daikon, nappa cabbage and green onions (nabe, oden)
• ●Small restaurant and bento operators who buy vegetables as inputs
• ●Food-service and retail staff reviewing monthly purchasing plans and food costs

🌏 Impact on foreign residents

Japan's winter staples cluster on the expensive side this November. Daikon and nappa cabbage (the backbone of nabe and oden), cabbage for stir-fries and okonomiyaki, and broccoli for bento color are all expected above normal, so higher price tags are likely to persist on supermarket shelves. Lettuce is firm in the first half of the month, as are cucumber and bell pepper, so salad-heavy diets will feel the pinch early. On the other side, onions and taro are expected below normal. Onions work across almost every cuisine — curry, stir-fries, soups — and keep well, making them an easy November mainstay; taro suits both simmered dishes and salads and is familiar to anyone from a root-crop food culture. Potato, tomato, eggplant and spinach sit around normal, so they can anchor your menu without price worry. Remember this outlook is a five-year-average comparison for the Tokyo Central Wholesale Market: it does not directly reflect retail prices where you live, nor currency or shipping effects. Check flyers and supermarket apps for actual shelf prices.