MO food prices increase in fourth quarter

Missouri's food prices increased both year-to-year and month-to-month, and outpaced national trends, according to the Missouri Farm Bureau's fourth-quarter Marketbasket Survey.

The bureau's survey is an informal comparison of 16 predetermined items representative of agricultural commodities used to prepare a variety of meals. The American Farm Bureau also tracks food prices on the same 16 items, according to a news release.

A trip to the grocery store in Missouri to pick up the 16 items averaged $52.01 in the fourth quarter, up from $47.87 in the same quarter of 2010. Those same items cost $49.32 in the third quarter of 2011.

The U.S. average for the cross-section of goods was $49.23 in the fourth quarter.

“Even though food prices tracked higher, they were still consistent with the increase in other cost of living indicators, but because it is unusual for our prices to be higher than the national averages, it will be interesting to track that into the new year," said Diane Olson, director of promotion and education for the Missouri Farm Bureau, in the release.

From the third quarter to the fourth quarter, 11 items increased in price in Missouri, four decreased and one was flat. About 44 percent of the increases were attributed to meats, and another 38 percent came from price increases for fruits and vegetables.

Other items on the list - russet potatoes, salad mix and orange juice - cost more, but Red Delicious apples cost slightly less per pound, the release said.[[In-content Ad]]