The horticulture industry is not benefiting from high fresh fruit and vegetable prices, Horticulture New Zealand says.
"We don't apologise for high prices, because we don't control prices," Horticulture New Zealand president Andrew Fenton said today .
While consumers were paying more for fresh fruit and vegetable, this did not automatically translate into increased returns for the industry.
Bad weather in New Zealand and Australia, increased on-farm costs and the increase in GST pushed up already high winter prices, particularly for tomatoes, lettuce and capsicum, Mr Fenton said.
"When product is in short supply, it will be more expensive, and there are some consumers who shouldn't be trying to buy the same product all year round, because it is expensive to do so."
