"Broccoli is grown all year round, but is typically cheapest in December, at about $1.50 a head," prices manager Geraldine Duoba said. "The cool weather this winter provided ideal growing conditions for broccoli."
The average price of a 350g head of broccoli was $2.09 in August 2018, down 77 cents from July. It is also about one-third cheaper than a year ago when prices reached $3.09 per head in August 2017.
These lower prices for broccoli and other vegetables drove an overall decrease in monthly and annual food prices. Food prices fell 0.5 percent in August, with fruit and vegetables costing 2.1 percent less, influenced by lower prices for lettuce, broccoli, and cucumber.
However, higher prices for snack foods, eggs and butter helped push grocery food prices up 0.5 percent.
In the year to August, total food prices dipped just 0.1 percent in the year to August 2018, although fruit and vegetable prices fell 6.5 percent, reflecting lower broccoli, potato, and cucumber prices. That decrease offset a 2.9 percent rise in restaurant and ready-to-eat food prices, which had shown higher than average inflation after the minimum wage increase in April this year.
"Fruit and vegetable prices rose strongly last year due to wet weather, peaking in August 2017," Duoba said. "This month prices are closer to those experienced two years ago, in August 2016."
Source: stuff.co.nz
