Meat and vegetable prices rise

Food prices increased 0.5 percent in the March 2009 month, Statistics New Zealand said today. The most significant increase came from the meat, poultry and fish subgroup (up 1.4 percent), which was driven by higher prices for fresh chicken (up 3.2 percent), lamb (up 5.9 percent), and beef (up 1.5 percent).

Fruit and vegetable prices were up 1.6 percent. The most significant contributions came from higher prices for lettuce (up 55.5 percent) and strawberries (up 61.5 percent). These increases were partly offset by lower prices for apples (down 16.9 percent) and potatoes (down 9.4 percent).

Other subgroups that made upward contributions were non-alcoholic beverages (up 0.8 percent), and restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food (up 0.2 percent).

The only subgroup to decrease in the March 2009 month was grocery food (down 0.2 percent), which was driven by lower prices for chocolate bars and blocks (down 5.7 percent), cheddar cheese (down 6.9 percent), and yoghurt (down 5.1 percent). The most significant individual upward contribution came from plain biscuits (up 14.2 percent).

For the year to March 2009 food prices rose 8.6 percent, with all five subgroups recording increases: grocery food (up 8.4 percent), meat, poultry and fish (up 12.6 percent), fruit and vegetables (up 10.6 percent), restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food (up 5.7 percent), and non-alcoholic beverages (up 5.6 percent). Within these subgroups, the most significant upward contributions came from higher prices for ready-to-eat food (up 5.8 percent), bread (up 13.4 percent), beef (up 15.1 percent), restaurant meals (up 5.7 percent), and cakes and biscuits (up 14.4 percent).