The largest rise for vegetable prices in over four years pushed food prices up 1.4 last month.
Photo: RNZ / Richard Tindiller
Vegetable prices rose 15 per cent in June thanks to rising prices of tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, capsicum and broccoli.
Even after adjusting for seasonal effects vegetable prices were up 8.5 percent.
Stats NZ spokesman Matthew Stansfield said prices typically do rise in vegetables in winter due to seasonal effects, however we are seeing larger rises than usual for this time of year and for a greater number of vegetables."
He said the increases were all on vegetables that are imported so can be put down to higher shipping costs due to the pandemic.
Capsicums rose 27 percent to an all time high of $24.16 per kg.
Overall food prices increased 2.8 percent in the year to June - mainly influenced by higher fruit and vegetable prices and increases in restaurant meals and ready to eat food.
