Consumer prices for vegetables soaring in Finland

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According to Statistics Finland, consumer prices rose by 0.2% in February compared with the same period last year. The change in the year-on-year inflation rate was the same already in January.
     
The rise in consumer prices was somewhat curbed by lower prices of alcoholic beverages, whereas the soaring prices of vegetables caused inflation to jump.
      According to the Consumer Price Index, the share of the total in percentage points for vegetables is 1.2%, whereas the figure for all foodstuffs is 13.8%.
      This would not otherwise have triggered much of an increase, but fresh produce items leapt up in February. Among the vegetables, the prices of tomatoes, cucumber, and iceberg lettuce rose the most. Based on the findings of Statistics Finland, the price of cucumbers went up by 32%, the price of tomatoes rose by 21%, and the price of iceberg lettuce jumped by as much as 182.6%.
      Consumers will have doubtless noticed these increases themselves as they peruse the fresh produce shelves and wonder what they can afford.
     
In the winter, Finns consume mainly imported vegetables, as they are cheaper than the domestic products cultivated under glass.
      This year the prices of imported vegetables have risen mainly because of the cold weather affecting Spain.
      From January to February, consumer prices went up by 0.6%. The rise was thought mainly to have been caused by the decline in seasonal discount sales of clothes.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Consumer prices go up by just 0.1% in February (16.3.2004)

Links:
  Statistics Finland News Release 14.3.2005: Inflation 0.2 per cent in February

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