Opinion: Fruit and vege price drop welcome in South
Feeding our families and the elderly, in a healthy and nutritious way, is a priority for us all.
Penny Simmonds is the MP for Invercargill.
Some Southland families must ration fruit for their children because it’s just too expensive.
In fact, the price of fruit and vegetables has been a huge worry for people around the South struggling with the cost of living.
Feeding our families and the elderly, in a healthy and nutritious way, is a priority for us all.
It’s a tragedy that it’s cheaper to buy a bottle of Coke, than a bag of apples.
I’ve talked to some local mums who must ration the amount of fruit that their children eat.
I’m very aware that it’s tough out there for everyone.
That’s why it’s fantastic to see fruit and vegetable prices coming down, with Stats NZ announcing a 9.3 percent decrease in the 12 months to February 2024.
The 9.3 percent drop in fresh produce prices contributed to the lowest overall food price increase since May 2021, at just 2.1 percent.
This contrasts noticeably with last year's 12 percent food price hike and is a step in the right direction for Southland families who have been having to cut corners to cope with rising prices.
Lettuce, tomatoes, and broccoli were the cheapest options in February, while chicken and meat increased, but by only 0.2 percent. Â
This is the second month in a row that fruit and vegetable prices have decreased and while it’s not the end of expensive food, I believe we’re heading in the right direction.
Hopefully this trend continues so that life gets a bit easier for local people.
In the lead-up to the election the cost of living was a massive concern for Southlanders and indeed for people across the country.
This Government has taken that on board and we’re determined to continue doing all that we can to get the economy back on track.
We’re making sure that we're getting good value out of Government spending – by cutting the waste – because not spending excessively means that there’s less pressure on inflation.
We’ve also refocussed the Reserve Bank on reducing inflation, cancelled fuel tax hikes for this term, repealed the Ute Tax and stopped work on Labour’s Jobs Tax.
We’ve got a long road ahead, but I’m excited about what we can achieve and the positive impact that it will have for the people of the South.
And if it means more fruit for our children, then I see that as a win.
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I realise everyone has bills to pay, but frankly it’s disappointing that the Tribune would allow itself to publish paid opinion articles from this Government.
If prices have come down it’s nothing to do with the government but more to do with the weather conditions this year following the devastating cyclone that hit some of the most productive growing land in the country. Ain’t no government able to control prices when the weather has more effect.