Residents in Beijing flocked to supermarkets to stock up on cabbages after a government issued a notice to secure their own supply of goods for the coming winter.

Trucks of Chinese cabbage were delivered at a wholesale market in Beijing, China, on November 6, with queues of locals waiting to stock up on the bright green vegetables.

Jia Jinzhi, a cabbage vendor at Beijing’s Xinfadi market, said: ‘Every year at this time, the cabbage sales volume is high. But after the report came out, everyone rushed to buy even more.’

The cabbages were sold for an average of 2.2 yuan per kilogram.

The notice issued by the Ministry of Commerce had earlier sparked panic buying in eastern China, which was also staving off a fresh wave of Covid-19 infections, in early November. The department later clarified that the report was just a seasonal reminder, and assured the public that the supply of goods will stay stable.

Zhu Xiaoliang, who heads MOFCOM’s Market Operation and Consumption Promotion department, said: ‘Judging from the current situation, the supply of daily necessities in various places is sufficient and should be fully guaranteed.’

Locals used to collect cabbages in piles come winter time. The hardy vegetables remained fresh for up to two months thanks to the tough outer leaves and low temperatures. However, the practice has died out as advanced storage and transport technologies have made fresh vegetables available year round.