Veges push food prices up

Food prices rose 0.6 per cent in July, with almost all the increase due to higher prices for vegetables as cold weather hampered growing conditions.

The figures published by Statistics New Zealand showed vegetable prices 12.3 per cent higher than in July last year, but not quite at the levels seen last August.

For just last month, fruit and vegetable prices rose 3.1 per cent, with lettuce prices up a further 41.6 per cent after more than doubling in June.