Food prices in New Zealand were down 1.3 percent in March compared to the previous month, Statistics New Zealand said on Friday, after dipping 0.3 percent in February.
Among the individual components, price falls for apples (down 33 percent), tomatoes (down 28 percent), and kumara (down 19 percent) had most influence.
Apple prices often fall in February and March from their early summer peak, the bureau said. These price falls were partly countered by higher banana prices (up 9.8 percent).
On a yearly basis, food prices contracted 0.4 percent after easing 0.1 percent in the previous month.
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