Food prices up 0.3% in March
Food prices rose 0.3% in March and are up 5.5% from a year earlier, Statistics New Zealand (SNZ) says.
Food prices rose 0.3% in March and are up 5.5% from a year earlier, Statistics New Zealand (SNZ) says.
Meat, poultry and fish prices were 1.5 percent higher in March than in February, grocery food prices were up 0.4 percent, non-alcoholic beverages up 1.1 percent, and restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food prices up 0.2 percent. Fruit and vegetable prices fell 1.6 percent.
Among individual items, bread was up 4.6 percent, tomatoes up 26.6 percent, cakes and biscuits up 4.3 percent, and beef up 3.8 percent. Apples were down 25.4 percent, potatoes down 10.8 percent, and grapes down 29.8 percent.
The 5.5 percent annual increase was the largest since the year to July 2009, and included a 2.2 percent rise in food prices in October when GST was increased.
Food prices were now 5.9 percent higher than two years ago and 14.9 percent higher than three years ago, SNZ said.
Grocery food prices rose 5.5 percent over the past year, while fruit and vegetable prices were up 10.4 percent, restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food was up 4.2 percent, meat, poultry and fish gained 3.7 percent, and non-alcoholic beverages lifted 5.3 percent.
Fresh milk prices lifted 9.3 percent over the year, lettuce gained 65.3 percent, soft drinks were up 6.3 percent and potatoes gained 29.6 percent. Bacon fell 4.4 percent.
NZPA
Wed, 13 Apr 2011
Wed, 13 Apr 2011
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Food prices up 0.3% in March
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