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Increase in local food costs for June

20-lb box of chicken leg quarters
reporters@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The cost of a 22-pound case of chicken legs saw another hike in price at the end of June, and this food item, along with minimum increases in six other food items contributed to the 0.5% increase in the local Food Index for June.

This is according to the Department of Commerce, which released last week Thursday the June Food index. For the month of May, the Food Index had dropped by 0.3%.

DOC says the cost of a 22-pound box of chicken increased for the fourth consecutive time since March 2019 and continued to increase by 3.7% for June. Additionally, eggs, fresh fish, sausage, ice cream, corned beef and butter — all together with a minimum percent increase of less than a percentage —each contributing to the rise in June’s food index.

Average retail prices for nine food items — soft drinks, bottled water, milk, banana, canned tuna, bread, sugar, and mayonnaise — remained constant in June.

Only four food commodities — rice, taro, pork spare ribs and turkey tails — decreased in June. DOC said pork spare ribs registered the greatest month-to-month decease of 0.3%.

Seven major food outlets were selected for the month of June’s survey, said DOC.