New figures show topping the Christmas pavlova with kiwifruit may be more costly than last year, with unusually high prices for the fruit.
Statistics NZ said kiwifruit prices rose 67 percent, to a weighted average price of $6.25 per kilogram in November, compared with $3.32 in November last year.
"We typically see kiwifruit prices begin to rise in July of each year and peak in March, however this November we saw prices similar to previous March peaks," said consumer prices manager Sarah Johnson.
There was good news for strawberry lovers, however, with prices in November down 34 percent on the same month last year.
Falling vegetable prices contributed to a 0.7 percent overall drop in food prices for the month.
Seasonal produce such as tomatoes contributed to a 3.1 percent fall in overall fruit and vegetable prices in November.
Tomato prices fell 51 percent, while cucumber prices fell 23 percent to a weighted average price of $5.00 per kilogram.
"The 51 percent fall in tomato prices in November follows a 24 percent fall in October," said Johnson.
Price falls for tomatoes, broccoli, and cucumbers were typical in November.
Meanwhile, prices for meat, poultry, and fish continued to rise, up 0.1 percent for the month and up 4.7 percent for the year.
These price increases contributed to the 2.4 percent rise in overall food prices for the year.
Porterhouse beef was the biggest driver of the monthly increase, up 4.2 percent in November.
Stats NZ said this was partly offset by sausages, down 4.3 percent, and lamb chops, down 3.5 percent.
