Kentucky Ag News

 

Retail food prices in Kentucky increase slightly in second quarter

 

Kentucky Farm Bureau

 

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - For the first time in over a year, food prices in the Commonwealth have increased, according to the latest Kentucky Farm Bureau Marketbasket Survey, albeit a very slight increase for the second quarter of the year.

The survey, taken quarterly and denotes the average total cost of 40 basic grocery items showed an increase of 1.03 percent. This is the first increase in food prices since the fourth quarter of 2014.
Overall the cost of the items totaled an average of $120.16 as compared to the $118.92 recorded during the first quarter of 2016.

The largest individual category increases came by way of dairy which rose in price by 5.4 percent followed by beef with a 2 percent jump.

The largest decrease, category wise, was attributed to poultry which fell by 3.2 percent followed by fruits and vegetables which experienced a nearly 1.5 percent drop and a 2 percent drop in surveyed dairy products.

Kentucky food prices increases were slightly higher than the latest national Consumer Price Index (CPI) information which indicated a 0.1 percent decline in overall national food prices during June. The CPI also denoted a 0.3 percent drop in the food at home index.

According to information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “The food at home index has declined 1.3 percent over the past year, its largest 12-month decline since February 2010. Four of the six major grocery store food group indexes have decreased over the period.”

Marketbasket Survey specifics:

Cheddar Cheese increased by $.87 per pound. Chuck Roast increased $.66 cents per pound, Rib-eye jumped by $.34 per pound.

Extra-large eggs decreased by $.26 per dozen. Tomatoes dropped by $.50 per pound, and peppers fell by $.25 each.