Wild weather bumps produce prices

Photo / Herald on Sunday

Wild spring weather has hammered fruit crops, pushing up market prices.

The cost of fruit and vegetables helped bump up food prices by 0.7 per cent last month, Statistics New Zealand figures released this week show.

The fruit and vegetable subgroup rose 2.6 per cent, led by the soaring cost of broccoli, which rose 49.5 per cent, and lettuce which was up 13.5 per cent during the month.

Pukekohe's Maramarua Orchards owner Luke Faesemklot said wind and rain in the past few weeks had affected his peach and plum trees.

"Because the bees don't work in wind and rain fruit is very sparce, and when fruit is sparce prices go up," he said.

Last year, peaches and plums sold for about $4.50/kg, but the new season fruit will be higher.

Summerfruits New Zealand manager Marie Dawkins said Central Otago had been hit by storms and Hawke's Bay growers were concerned about rain forecast for the rest of spring.

"If the rain continues there could be disease issues. The weather can still cause damage. It's too early to say," she said.

Fruit World Grey Lynn franchise owner Hitu Patel said summer fruits such as nectarines and peaches would come on the market at the end of this month.

Storms in South Island growing spots and hail in Pukekohe had affected crops, potentially leading to higher prices than last year.

The first strawberries had come on the market at $4 a punnet. "Next week they will get cheaper as more start to ripen," said Patel.

He said recent sunshine had made up for the bad weather early last month.

Asparagus was also coming into season and selling at about $9/kg.

This week at Auckland City's Countdown supermarket, New Zealand nectarines and peaches were selling at $6.98/kg.

Mandarin prices would rise in the coming weeks as the season finished.

Countdown was selling Australian mandarins at $5.98/kg.

Broccoli was selling at about $3 a head because wet weather had flooded farms, particularly around Pukekohe.

"Farmers couldn't get the tractors in to cut it so the price went up, but as the weather improves the price will fall to about $1.50 a head."

Broccoli was still popular, even at the higher price.

This month, New Zealand produce in short supply includes apples, blackberries, blueberries and eggplant.

Crops unavailable include apricot, boysenberry, brussel sprouts, feijoa, lime, mandarin, melon, nectarine, peach, pear, plum, squash and sweetcorn.