Food prices remain stable

3 February 2004

MADRID – The majority of food prices have stabilised in the past year, the government said Tuesday.

Fresh fruit has risen most sharply of all food stuffs in the past 12 months, by 11.7 percent, according to figures released by the Ministry of Economy.

In contrast, chicken went down slightly in price by 1.6 percent compared with a year ago.

Carlos Jiménez, commercial director of the ministry, said he was “satisfied” with the stability of prices of most food.

He said 41 out of the 60 different types of food analysed performed better in price than the same time last year.

Between January last year and last month, carrots went up 12.5 percent, green beans by 3.9 percent and grouper fish by 4.6 percent. 

But blue whiting fish fell in price by 5.6 percent.

Jiménez attributed the price increase of some fish to bad weather which meant fishing fleets could not work during Christmas and the reduced production of vegetables during this period.

Oranges and lemons rose in price 15.1 percent year-on-year. Rabbits rose in price by 10 percent in the past 12 months and bananas rose by 5.7 percent compared with the same time the year before.

There were rises with tomatoes (1 percent) eggs (14.2 percent year-on-year) and potatoes (24.5 percent).

There were also increases with olive oil rose (6.4 percent), spaghetti (5.5 percent), mussels (5.1 percent), yoghurt (4.7 percent) and milk chocolate drinks (4.2 percent).

Since January last year, though, butter had been lowered in price by 1.1 percent and soft sliced bread by 0.1 percent.

[Copyright EFE with Expatica]

Subject: Spanish news