Fresh produce drives up May food price index

Food cost more in May thanks to rises in the prices of tomatoes, potatoes and lettuce, Statistics New Zealand said.

The food price index showed food cost 0.5 per cent more in May, from April, Statistics NZ said.

Fruit and vegetable prices rose 4.6 per cent in May, largely due to a 6.4 per cent spike in the price of fresh vegetables.

"The most significant price increases were for tomatoes (up 15.0 per cent), potatoes (up 11.2 per cent), and lettuce (up 39.1 per cent)," Statistics NZ said in a statement.

Prices for grocery food, soft drinks and confectionary (up 0.2 per cent), restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food (up 0.1 per cent) also contributed.

Instant coffee cost 9.3 per cent more, while instant noodles were 8.2 per cent more expensive.

"These were partly offset by lower prices for fruit juice (down 11.3 per cent), and frozen and chilled meat pies (down 11.4 per cent).

"Prices for meat, fish and poultry subgroup, however, decreased 0.4 per cent, with lower prices recorded for poultry (down 4.9 per cent) and beef mince (down 2.9 per cent)."

Meanwhile, food prices in May were up 1.4 per cent on those in the same month in 2004.

Price increases were recorded for restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food (up 2.4 per cent); grocery food, soft drinks and confectionary (up 1.1 per cent); meat, fish and poultry (up 1.8 per cent); and fruit and veges (up 0.3 per cent).

- NZPA