According to figures released by Stats NZ yesterday, vegetable prices rose 5.2% annually in the 12 months to September.
The weighted average price of cabbage increased from $2.97 to $5.85 per kilogram — a 97% rise.
“This is the highest price for cabbage in nearly three years,” prices and deflators spokeswoman Nicola Growden said.
The price of lettuce also rose, from $4.35 to $6.75 a kg, costing 55% more than a year ago.
Veggie Boys owner Parvesh Kumar said the price of cabbage was always higher around the end of winter and start of spring.
“Lettuce, tomatoes, capsicums — everything goes up in the wintertime.
“And then after winter, it slowly, slowly, started coming down.”
While he expected prices were now dropping, they had been higher than usual in winter, Mr Kumar said.
The price of its cabbages had for the past three months been a maximum $5 each, sometimes on special at $4.
“Supermarket prices are quite high, so we have been selling lots of cabbages, so it doesn’t affect us at all.
“It’s not that bad, to be frank. It’s just seasonal things.”
New World’s website yesterday listed three different heads of cabbage for $7.99 each at its Centre City supermarket.
Woolworths had them listed for $7.50 each, while Pak’nSave’s were between $5.69 and $6.99 in Dunedin.
Janefield Paeonies & Hydroponics owner Rodger Whitson said his prices at the Otago Farmers Market, in Dunedin, had all gone up “a wee bit”.
His lettuce sold for $3 a head or $4 for 150g.
“I wish I was getting $6 for lettuce.”
The price of vegetables depended mainly on the seasonality of produce and weather, but also the higher cost of doing business, Mr Whitson said.
“The cost of growing is not getting any cheaper and labour is not getting cheaper.
“The minimum wage, the living wage — it all keeps creeping up, so that has a major effect on it.”
Stats NZ also found food prices on the whole rose 4.1%, the smallest annual increase since April.
Higher prices for the grocery food group, up 3.9%, contributed the most to the hike.
“All five food groups continue to grow annually but the rate of increase for overall food prices has slowed this month,” Ms Growden said.
The average price for white bread rose 49.6% annually to $2.08 per loaf, butter increased 28.9% to $8.53 per 500g and cheese 31.4% to $12.81 per kilogram block.
