New Zealand food prices fall 0.6 pct in April

Published: 11 May 2009 17:11:26 PST

WELLINGTON, May 12 - New Zealand food prices fell in April, driven by lower fruit, vegetable and meat prices, according to official data released on Tuesday.

The food price index fell 0.6 percent last month, to be 7.6 percent higher than a year ago, Statistics New Zealand said.

The food price index makes up 17.4 percent of the consumer price index.

The government agency also released data showing the number of guest nights in short-term commercial accommodation fell 11 percent in March on a year ago, after a fall in the number of international tourists.

Last month, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand cut the official cash rate by 50 basis points to 2.5 percent because of the deteriorating global outlook's impact on the recession-hit domestic economy.