Non-kinky salad prices up 300%

[Taro Toporific]

Why your salad might cost three times as much to make
(IHT/Asahi: October 14, 2004)
...the recent spell of almost back-to-back typhoons-coupled with heavy downpours-has caused a serious vegetable shortage. Prices, especially for leafy greens, are soaring.
Market prices for many vegetable have doubled-even tripled-in less than two weeks...
...According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the dark cloud hanging over vegetable prices looks set to continue. On Wednesday, the agency announced that Typhoon No. 23 was unfolding and the autumnal rain front was not likely to move on. They said Kanto could expect the wet weather spell to continue for some time.

[Mulboyne]

[Captain Japan]

Ghastly looking veggies to the rescue
Asahi

Bent cucumbers, undersized cabbages and other oddly shaped vegetables will be appearing soon at a supermarket near you.

The misshapen produce will be shipped later this month as part of a government-sponsored plan to stabilize the soaring price of vegetables, which are in short supply due to the succession of typhoons to hit Japan earlier this year and a long rainy spell.

Such produce usually never sees the light of day.

Some 6,500 tons of the irregular-looking vegetables are expected to be marketed in November, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

Could this be the start of a trend?

[Taro Toporific]

Ghastly looking veggies to the rescue
Asahi

Bent cucumbers, undersized cabbages and other oddly shaped vegetable...?

As though Japan doesn't have enough scary veggies in the story already...

[Taro Toporific]

Ghastly looking veggies
...Bent cucumbers, undersized cabbages and other oddly shaped vegetables will be appearing soon ...
Could this be the start of a trend?

WMD found!

Vegetable Weapon: Saury fish ball hot pot/Tokyo 2001. Private Collection, Tokyo. Dec 5