Why getting your five-plus a day cost more in 2020

Monday, 18 January 2021

Fruit and vegetable prices jumped almost 9 per cent in the year to December as labour shortages and problems with imports made eating well more expensive.

The price spike helped lift overall food price inflation to 2.9 per cent, according to Stats NZ.

“In 2020 prices have been high for a variety of crops, including potatoes, courgettes and tomatoes, at different times of the year and for different reasons,” consumer prices manager Katrina Dewbery said.

As a result of higher fruit and vegetable prices, overall food prices have been trending higher than the most recent consumers price index (CPI) inflation of 1.4 per cent in the year ended September 2020.

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December figures are due to be released next week.

“Food prices often vary from headline inflation as they can be influenced differently by factors such as growing conditions, international trade, and labour costs,” Dewbery said.

While prices for fruit and vegetables climbed 8.9 per cent, restaurant meals and ready-to-eat foods were up 3.8 per cent and grocery foods increased 1.8 per cent.

These were offset slightly by meat, poultry, and fish prices, which fell 0.7 per cent.

Last year was eventful, with many significant food price movements, Dewbery said.

In April, potatoes reached an all-time high price of $2.51 per kilo while New Zealand was in Covid-19 lockdown.

The spike was mainly caused by a shortage of labour and an increase in demand from supermarkets.

In July, zucchini prices skyrocketed to a record high price of $29.60 per kilo as imports from Queensland were suspended due to a virus impacting all fresh cucurbit.

Tomato prices hit an all-time high of $13.65 per kilo the following month as growers faced uncertainty about replanting crops during lockdown.

However, strawberries were cheaper than usual in November as exports decreased and a glut hit supermarkets.