Food prices fall back in March
Food prices fell 1.3 percent in the March month, and were down 0.4 percent on a year earlier, Statistics
"Lower food prices in March reflected cheaper fruit and veg," prices manager Chris Pike said. "Apple prices were down a third and tomatoes, at $2.76 a kilo, were the cheapest in more than four years."
Price falls for apples (down 33 percent), tomatoes (down 28 percent), and kumara (down 19 percent) had most influence. Apple prices often fall in February and March from their early summer peak. These price falls were partly countered by higher banana prices (up 9.8 percent).
Grocery food prices also fell (down 0.8 percent), influenced by chocolate bars and blocks (down 11 percent, due to more discounting). Boxed chocolates rose 19 percent after a 21 percent fall in February.
The price of boxed chocolates falls every February, when Valentine's Day occurs.
Increased discounting on ham (down 12 percent) and a price fall for lamb (down 11 percent) resulted in a 0.9 percent price fall for the meat, poultry, and fish group.
Annual change in prices
For the year to March 2013, the food price index (FPI) decreased 0.4 percent.
Grocery food prices (down 2.6 percent) again made the main downward contribution for the year. Fresh milk (down 7.4 percent), cheese (down 9.1 percent), and butter (down 22 percent) prices were all lower.
Meat, poultry, and fish prices also decreased, influenced by lower prices for lamb (down 14 percent) and ham (down 11 percent).
Tomatoes (down 23 percent) made a key downward contribution in the year to March 2013.
These decreases were partly offset by increases for fruit and vegetables (up 3.8 percent) and restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food (up 1.1 percent). Avocados (up 69 percent), lettuce (up 27 percent), kumara (up 35 percent), and apples (up 4 percent) all influenced the increase. There was a smaller crop of avocados in 2012, following a bumper season in 2011. Poor weather conditions in both the planting and harvesting seasons affected the kumara crop in 2012.
The FPI measures the rate of price change of food and food services purchased by households. Statistics NZ visits shops across New Zealand to collect prices for the FPI and check package sizes.
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