Monday, 14 December 2020 14:45

Strawberry prices down as exports drop

Written by  Staff Reporters
The price of strawberries fell to an average of $3.45/250g in November. The price of strawberries fell to an average of $3.45/250g in November.

Strawberry prices fell 43% in November 2020 as Covid-19 border restrictions reduced exports, Stats NZ said.

Consumer prices manager Katrina Dewbery says that fewer exports have meant there is more supply available for domestic consumption.

Prices averaged $3.45/250g punnet in November, down from $6.04 in October.

“Prices are lower than we typically see for a November month with December generally being when they are cheapest. Some people may be seeing even cheaper prices during the first half of December,” Dewbery said.

Overall, food prices fell 0.9% in November. This was mainly influenced by vegetable prices falling by 9.9% and partly offset by fruit prices rising 5.2%, despite the drop in strawberry prices.

Tomato prices fell 51% in November to an average of $3.99/kg, down from an all-time high of $13.65 in August this year.

“Tomato prices have adjusted back down to a price we would expect to see for this time of year, slightly, higher than the five-year average price for the November month of $3.74/kg.”

Mainly influencing the rise in fruit prices are higher prices for kiwifruit (up 78%), apples (up 13%) and oranges (up 34%). These fruit typically become more expensive heading into summer as they go out of season.

Kiwifruit has risen to an average price of $7.11/kg, 86 cents more expensive than this time last year.

More like this

Strawberry growing no easy pickings!

Three generations of Anthony Rakich’s family have been growing strawberries in West Auckland, using the traditional methods for at least 90 years.

Horror rainfalls!

It will take between six to eight months for commercial growers in the Horowhenua region to fully recover from the disastrous heavy rains that hit the region in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

Featured

Farmer input needed to combat FE

Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) is calling on livestock farmers to take part in a survey measuring the financial impact of facial eczema (FE).

Editorial: Escaping Trump's wrath

OPINION: President Donald Trump's bizarre hard line approach to the world of what was once 'rules-based trade' has got New Zealand government officials, politicians and exporters on tenterhooks.

Wool pellets to boost gardens

With wool prices steadily declining and shearing costs on the rise, a Waikato couple began looking for a solution for wool from their 80ha farm.

National

New Summerfruit NZ CEO

Dean Smith has been in the role of CEO of Summerfruit NZ for about four months, having succeeded Kate Hellstrom…

Machinery & Products

Ecorobotix announces NZ dealership

Swiss-based Ecorobotix has announced its entry into the New Zealand market through a strategic partnership with Canterbury-based New Zealand Tractors.

Sorting unwashed potatoes made easy

Downs, a leader in potato reception, automated sorting, and storage, has introduced its new high-throughput optical sorter for unwashed potatoes…

Jumbo X saves time and money

A winner of a prestigious ‘Technical Innovations 2024’ award by FederUnacoma at the EIMA show in Italy, the Maschio Jumbo…

NH unveils specialty tractor

New Holland recently showcased its new-generation T4.120 F specialty tractor, giving New Zealand customers a closer look at the winner…

Combining track and tyre

While the last fifty years has seen massive evolution and development of the humble tractor tyre, the last two decades…

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Waffle man

OPINION: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon sometimes can't escape his own corporate instinct for evasion, and in what should have been…

Banks on notice

OPINION: Shane 'Matua' Jones, crusader against all things woke, including "woke banks", couldn't have scripted it better when his NZ…

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter