Overall food prices up in January, meat falls

Meat eaters enjoyed lower prices in January, but overall food prices were on the rise in January, according to data out today from Statistics New Zealand.

The Food Price Index gained 0.7 per cent in January.

Falls in meat, fish and poultry were outweighed by gains in the price of groceries, soft drinks and confectionary, fruit and vegetables, and restaurant meals and ready-to-eat meals.

Fruit and vegetable prices were up 2.9 per cent for the month, driven up by a 14 per cent rise in potato prices, and a 17.5 per cent hike in citrus prices.

Grocery food, soft drinks and confectionary prices were up 0.7 per cent for the month, with the biggest gainers dairy products, up 1.4 per cent, and bread, up 1.7 per cent.

Meat, fish and poultry prices fell 2.9 per cent for the month, pulled down by a 3.7 per cent drop in poultry prices.

For the year ended January, food prices were up 2.3 per cent -- the largest annual increase since August 2002 when food prices rose 3 per cent.

Prices were up across the board on an annual basis, with grocery food, soft drinks and confectionary up 1.8 per cent; meat, fish and poultry up 4.3 per cent, restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food up 2.5 per cent; and fruit and vegetables up 1.7 per cent.

- NZPA