Prices of processed food products rose by over six percent over the past year.

According to the Korea Consumer Agency (KCA) on Sunday, its survey of the prices of 32 processed food products in the first quarter found that the prices of 25 items rose from a year earlier.

The average rise of all 32 items marked six-point-one percent, while the average of the 25 items reached nine-point-one percent.

Price increases were larger among essential ingredients, with the prices of cooking oil soaring nearly 50 percent on-year to 963-point-seven won per 100 milliliters in the first quarter.

The prices of sugar and soybean paste also jumped 27-point-seven percent and 17-point-four percent, respectively, on-year, in the period.

Seven items that saw prices fall during the period include fish cakes, soju, canned tuna, soy sauce and flour.