WELLINGTON, Feb 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) – New Zealand’s monthly food prices rose 2.7 percent in Jan this year, the country’s statistics department, Stats NZ, said today.
This is the biggest monthly rise since Jan, 2017, when monthly food prices rose 2.8 percent, Stats NZ said, adding, fruit prices were up 2.7 percent and vegetable prices were up 5.9 percent in Jan.
“Food prices often increase in Jan. However, prices increased by more than usual this Jan,” consumer prices manager, Katrina Dewbery said, in a statement.
In Jan, 2021, monthly food prices rose 1.3 percent, and in Jan, 2020, they rose 2.1 percent.
In Jan, 2022, higher fruit and vegetable prices were the main contributor to the monthly rise, up 9.9 percent. There were higher prices for broccoli, lettuce, apples, strawberries, and kiwifruit. These were partly offset by lower prices for beans, grapes, and courgettes, she said.
The widespread nature of the price rises was also shown by 76 percent of all items increasing in price in Jan, she added.
Annual food prices were 5.9 percent higher in Jan this year than they were in Jan, 2021. This is the biggest annual increase since Aug, 2011, when annual food prices increased by 6.6 percent, statistics show.
The main contributor to this increase in Jan, 2022, was higher prices for tomatoes, Dewbery said, adding, fruit and vegetable prices were 15 percent higher last month, 2022, than they were in Jan, 2021.– NNN-AGENCIES
