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Photos: Stampede for salt all across China

Photos from Yahoo China.

An epidemic of panic buying hit supermarkets and stores across China beginning yesterday as shoppers laid their hands on any salt they could find under the false assumption that the ubiquitous food seasoning offers protection against radiation exposure.

Multiple branches of the supermarket chain Carrefour in Beijing and Shanghai told CNN that their salt supplies have been effectively cleared out as of this morning.

To allay fears, the Ministry of Environmental Protection has released a chart on its Web site which shows radiation levels in 41 Chinese cities to be normal.

Potassium iodide tablets have also been snapped up at pharmacies, despite the explicit warning that such pills should not be consumed unless the government recommends it.

In a mass text message sent out today, the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce assured local residents that the city has enough stockpiles of salt, and that panic buying should be avoided.

Certain businesses though are enjoying their moment of a lifetime. Bloomberg reports that Yunnan Salt skyrocketed jumped from 1.37 13.7 yuan to 15.10 as of the midday trading break in Shenzhen.

UPDATE: Salt, salt, and more salt moves from the warehouses to the stores.

Previously on Shanghaiist
Seriously sinister salt in Shanghai

Contact the author of this article or email tips@shanghaiist.com with further questions, comments or tips.
By Kenneth Tan in on March 17, 2011 5:00 PM

Comments [rss]

  • In defense to those who are frantically buying salt to protect themselves, others should also be aware that Y (upsilon) polymorph of Boron is a mineral considered "salt like". Boron (mixed with water) is what will ultimately be used to calm down the plutonium, at the current out of control nuclear plant.

    I must also say that I have read this same story across many country borders and insist that what I have read from this webpage reaction, is the most thoughtful and logical reasoning and respectful blogging on this topic.

    All the MG

  • xiaoxi

    The "folk" explanation I hear for the rush is not that salt protects you, but that future salt itself will BE contaminated (and that won't be "accurately, rapidly" reported, of course) -- so buy it now while it still comes from pre radiated batches. Not any less prone to error than the "protective" motivation, but maybe more realistic in its pure cynicism...

  • Ohh my god ....this is what we have come to? its just the beginning of the end...the world is crumbling down...we have to keep our composure and not make it easier for the non human elites to establish one world government and one world army.

    The elite's rule humanity by fear and death...once you know...there is no such thing as death...it won't bother you...we are genetically created biological robots who are designed to react to any situation...be calm people

  • NiubiCowboy

    Hahaha, and the reptilian, or alien, overlord conspiracy finally made its way to the surface.

  • RUSHOUR1

    "Yunnan Salt skyrocketed from 1.37 yuan to 15.10 as of the midday trading break"?

    It must be a mistake since Chinese stock exchange, both in Shanghai and Shenzhen, only allow a 10% daily up and down.

    I checked Yunnan Salt (002053) and found out It should be from 13.7 yuan to 15.10 yuan. So it cannot be called as "skyrocket".

  • I stand corrected! Boo to Bloomberg for giving me the wrong figures!

  • nnikba

    You need to eat 80 table-spoon of salt to get the equivqlent of a iode tablet... Are you sure your body can handle this... (source:wikipedia)

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