NZ: Banana prices highest since 1981
Overall, food and vegetable prices were down 3.1 per cent in March from the previous month, largely due to cheaper apples and potatoes.
Prices for new season apples were down 48 per cent on the peak price in January.
New World Mount Maunganui owner Allan Rudkin told the Bay of Plenty Times his store was considering reducing its price of bananas because it was "too high".
"It's going to cost us in margin but there are some stores that are probably at the high end of the scale and we need to bring ourselves back down to a better price seen by the consumer."
The high price had not resulted in fewer people buying bananas but he had noticed produce prices creeping up in other areas.
"The prices certainly have been going up but there's a lot of seasonality and weather conditions that are pushing prices all over the place.
The latest Statistics New Zealand figures also showed beverages were also cheaper in March, influenced by discounts on packaged coffee and tea.
The organisation's prices manager, Chris Pike, said grocery food prices were up 1.2 per cent for the month, the highest monthly rise since January 2013.
Overall food prices were up 0.1 per cent, following a 0.7 per cent fall in February and a 1.3 per cent rise in January.
In the year to March, food prices rose 1.9 per cent, the largest annual increase since December 2011.
Lettuce, potatoes, bananas, strawberries, carrots, and dried apricots were more expensive than a year ago, while tomatoes, avocados, and cucumber were cheaper.
Source: nzherald.co.nz
