Food prices rose last month as cold wet weather pushed up the cost of vegetables.Statistics New Zealand figures show food prices rose 0.7% in September, following a 0.1% lift in August and a rise of 1.6% in July.Fruit and vegetable prices rose
Food prices rose last month as cold wet weather pushed up the cost of vegetables.
Statistics New Zealand figures show food prices rose 0.7% in September, following a 0.1% lift in August and a rise of 1.6% in July.
Fruit and vegetable prices rose 2.6% last month with broccoli prices rising 49.5% and lettuce prices increasing 13.5%.
"Vegetable prices were affected by unusually windy, wet, and cold September weather in different parts of the country,” Statistics New Zealand’s prices manager Chris Pike said.
The meat, poultry, and fish subgroup fell 1.0% in September, with fresh chicken prices decreasing 7.6% and lamb chop prices falling 6.3%.
Food prices rose 1.3% for the year to September 2010. This rise follows four consecutive months of annual falls in food prices. In the year to September 2010, grocery food prices rose 2.6%, fruit and vegetable prices rose 6.8%, and restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food prices rose 1.5%. Meat, poultry, and fish prices fell 4.3%, while non-alcoholic beverage prices fell 1.4%.
