NZ food prices rise 0.8% in February as summer's end drives up cost of fruit, veges

NZ food prices rise 0.8% in February as summer's end drives up cost of fruit, veges
Paul McBeth
By Paul McBeth March 13 (BusinessDesk) - New Zealand food prices rose in February on more expensive fruit and vegetables as the end of summer drove up prices for strawberries and lettuce.  The food price index increased a seasonally adjusted 0.8 percent last month, and was 2.2 percent higher than in February 2016, its biggest annual increase since December 2011, Statistics New Zealand said. On an unadjusted basis, food prices rose 0.2 percent in the month.  Fruit and vegetable prices rose a seasonally adjusted 4.5 percent led by more e...