Nation of ‘chicken fans’ saves at till

Takeaway food and tomato prices rose in April, but chicken is the cheapest it has been in 10 years.

Statistics New Zealand said overall food prices remained steady, up 0.1 per cent on the previous month and 2.3 per cent on April last year.

In particular, an upward movement in meat prices was dragged down by a 4.5 per cent fall in chicken prices during the month.

A 1-kilogram pack of chicken pieces was $7.63 in April, down from $8.10 a year ago, and the lowest price since the series began in June 2014.

For the year to April, prices for meat and poultry increased 1.0 per cent, boosted by a 12 per cent rise in pork and a 17 per cent jump in lamb prices, but offset by a 6.8 per cent fall in chicken prices. Beef prices remained flat.

Supermarket company Foodstuffs said poultry pricing was often tied to supply, which had been growing steadily.

‘‘New Zealanders are definitely chicken fans and enjoy the wide variety of value-added options that certainly weren’t available 10 years ago. Supply is good and we’re consuming more chicken on a per capita basis that any other meat type,’’ Foodstuffs spokeswoman Antoinette Laird said.

Demand had been growing for many types of chicken cuts, but the most significant growth has been in free-range chicken, which had been growing at about 20 per cent per year, Laird said.

Statistics NZ said prices for ready-to-eat and grocery foods were on the rise. Ready-to-eat food prices rose 0.7 per cent in April, with ethnic food up 1.6 per cent, takeaway pizzas up 1 per cent and takeaway coffee costs rising 0.7 per cent.

Vegetable prices fell 1.6 per cent in April, led by lettuce, broccoli, and cauliflower after high prices in March. Seasonally adjusted prices fell 5.1 per cent. However, tomatoes bucked the trend, rising 41 per cent this month following an even steeper rise the month before.