Wet summer ramps up food prices

By Phil Boeyen, ShareChat Business News Editor

Thursday 14th February 2002

Statistics New Zealand says a large rise in the price of fresh vegetable was behind a 1.5% hike in food prices in January.

Difficult growing conditions in many parts of the country due to a wet summer saw fruit and vegetable prices rise 8.1% last month, making the largest contribution to the rise in overall food prices.

Pressure on prices also came from increases for grocery food items, particularly sweets and coffee, and from restaurant meals which rose by 0.5%.

Meat, fish and poultry prices were also higher although beef prices fell 1.3% after falling 1% in December 2001.

Statistics NZ says the leap in fruit and vegetable prices is the first price rise in the category for four months. After adjusting for normal seasonal change, significant increases were recorded for tomatoes up 37%, cauliflower up 110%, lettuces up 25% and broccoli prices up 64%.

On an annual basis, food prices rose 5.6% from January 2001 to January 2002, lower than the annual December rise of 5.8% and the 6.7% increase in the year to November 2001.

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