Tomato, lettuce, cauliflower, cabbage, and broccoli prices rose sharply in March 2018, boosting vegetable prices 9.5 percent in the month after adjusting for typically seasonal changes, Stats NZ said today. “Vegetable crops have been affected by a run of storms in recent weeks – lower supply due to bad weather usually means higher prices,” consumer prices manager Matthew Haigh said. “In February, we saw rising prices for lettuce, broccoli, and cauliflower, due to a combination of humid weather and cyclone Gita. As expected, that wet weather has affected vegetable prices in March too.” Tomatoes rose more than 60 ... (full story)