Food Prices Fall in April

Food Prices Fall in April

Food prices fell 0.2 percent in April 2004, according to latest figures from Statistics New Zealand. Lower prices for fruit and vegetables were partly offset by higher prices for grocery food, soft drinks and confectionery; restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food; and meat, fish and poultry.

Prices for fruit and vegetables fell by 3.0 percent in April 2004. The most significant downward contributions came from fresh fruit (down 5.7 percent) and fresh vegetables (down 2.7 percent). These decreases were mainly driven by lower prices for tomatoes (down 11.9 percent) and kumara (down 19.0 percent). Partly offsetting these were price increases for lettuces (up 18.5 percent) and cabbages (up 47.4 percent).

Grocery food, soft drinks and confectionery prices rose by 0.4 percent in April 2004. The most significant upward contributions came from higher prices for milk (up 1.4 percent) and cheese (up 2.7 percent). These increases were partly offset by price decreases for soft drinks (down 1.5 percent).

Restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food prices increased by 0.4 percent in April 2004. Ready-to-eat food prices increased by 0.7 percent and restaurant meal prices by 0.1 percent. Meat, fish and poultry prices rose by 0.1 percent in April 2004. The most significant upward contribution came from higher prices for poultry (up 2.5 percent), while the most significant downward contribution came from lower prices for beef (down 3.3 percent). The most significant individual upward contribution came from higher prices for fresh chicken (up 5.1 percent).

Food prices increased by 1.7 percent from April 2003 to April 2004. The most significant upward contribution came from grocery food, soft drinks and confectionery (up 2.6 percent); followed by restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food (up 2.3 percent); and fruit and vegetables (up 2.1 percent). Partly offsetting these increases was a 1.4 percent decrease in meat, fish and poultry prices.

Ian Ewing
Acting Government Statistician
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