Food prices fell 0.6 percent in November, led by drops in vegetable prices.Publishing the data today, Statistics New Zealand (SNZ) said the fruit and vegetable category fell 5.7 percent last month, after two months of rises when prices were affected by un
Food prices fell 0.6 percent in November, led by drops in vegetable prices.
Publishing the data today, Statistics New Zealand (SNZ) said the fruit and vegetable category fell 5.7 percent last month, after two months of rises when prices were affected by unusual weather conditions.
Vegetable prices fell 9.9 percent in November, while fruit prices lifted 1.5 percent.
Lettuce prices were down 34.4 percent, tomatoes 26.6 percent, and broccoli 45.2 percent. Prices for those items normally dropped in November, but lettuce prices last month were still two-thirds higher than the average November level for the past 10 years, with broccoli one-third higher, SNZ said.
Kiwifruit prices normally rose in November, and the 21.7 percent increase last month still left the price 1.6 percent lower than a year earlier.
Also in November, the meat, poultry, and fish category was down 0.5 percent, while grocery food prices rose 0.1 percent, restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food prices were up 0.6 percent, and non-alcoholic beverage prices rose 1.7 percent.
Potato prices rose 16.2 percent, soft drinks 2.8 percent and nectarines 41.8 percent.
For the year to November, food prices were up 4.8 percent, including the 2.2 percent rise in October when GST rose to 15 percent from 12.5 percent.
Grocery food prices rose 5 percent for the year, fruit and vegetables were up 11.9 percent, restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food up 3.6 percent, non-alcoholic beverages up 3.2 percent, and meat, poultry, and fish up 1.1 percent.
Significant changes among individual items over the year included fresh milk up 14.7 percent, potatoes up 31.9 percent, tomatoes up 41.9 percent, and cheddar cheese up 24.4 percent.
Fresh chicken prices fell 4.3 percent during the year, with bacon down 3.5 percent.
