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Grocery costs are high here

Stevens Point is now included in the Market Basket survey conducted through the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation in Madison, and the results indicate the Stevens Point area has one of the largest grocery bills.

The latest Market Basket survey reports a seven-cent drop in the 40 food items in April, with shoppers paying less for fruits and vegetables compared to March.

The average of the 40-item market basket reported by surveyors in 26 communities decreased from $72.00 in March to $71.93 in April.

In Stevens Point, those items cost $77.37 in April, the first month the survey included the city. Only Oshkosh at $77.64 and Fond du Lac at $78.07 were higher. The lowest costs were $62.37 in Janesville and $63.46 in Racine.

A 10-pound bag of Wisconsin potatoes was eight cents less in April, which could be the start of store prices reflecting lower farm prices for Wisconsin-grown spuds. For the first quarter of 2001, farm prices for Wisconsin potatoes are 16 percent lower compared to the same three months a year ago. Higher production in northwestern states last year pushed up stocks, which pushed down prices.

Tomato prices have ridden a roller coaster in the first part of the year, costing 21 cents a pound less in April. Over the last three months tomato prices dropped 34 cents in February, then jumped 22 cents in March, before dropping in April. Red delicious apples were eight cents a pound less.

For the second straight month there was a slight increase in the cost of retail dairy products. A gallon of milk increased seven cents, and butter was up one cent a pound. Cheese was five cents a pound less, but should start to increase as cash markets for cheese have risen in the last month. Cheese pizza cost 34 cents more. Dairy farmers are starting to get more favorable prices for their milk, with long-range forecasts projecting farmers getting $2 more per hundred pounds of milk than last year.

Beef prices dipped slightly in April, with round steak down five cents, and chuck roast down nine cents a pound. Ham was 12 cents a pound more, and pork roast was 11 cents a pound more in April.

Compared to a year ago, the Market Basket for April was $1.85 cents more, when the survey averaged $70.08 for the same food items. Shoppers paid more for beef, chicken, and dairy, compared to April of last year, and paid less for pork, grain-based foods and fruits and vegetables.

Communities surveyed by Farm Bureau volunteer market reporters were Appleton, Ashland, Eau Claire, Fond du Lac, Grafton, Green Bay, Janesville, La Crosse, Ladysmith, Lancaster, Madison, Manitowoc, Marshfield, Medford, Mequon, Milwaukee, Oshkosh, Portage, Racine, Shawano, Sheboygan, Stevens Point, Watertown, Waukesha, Wausau and West Bend. Food prices vary based on location.



	Grocery costs are high here Stevens Point is now included in the Market Basket survey conducted through the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation in Madison, and the results indicate the Stevens Point area has one of the largest grocery bills. The latest Market Basket survey reports a seven-cent drop in the 40 food items in April, with shoppers paying less for fruits and vegetables compared to March. The average of the 40-item market basket reported by surveyors in 26 communities decreased from $72.00 in March to $71.93 in April. In Stevens Point, those items cost $77.37 in April, the first month the survey included the city. Only Oshkosh at $77.64 and Fond du Lac at $78.07 were higher. The lowest costs were $62.37 in Janesville and $63.46 in Racine. A 10-pound bag of Wisconsin potatoes was eight cents less in April, which could be the start of store prices reflecting lower farm prices for Wisconsin-grown spuds. For the first quarter of 2001, farm prices for Wisconsin potatoes are 16 percent lower compared to the same three months a year ago. Higher production in northwestern states last year pushed up stocks, which pushed down prices. Tomato prices have ridden a roller coaster in the first part of the year, costing 21 cents a pound less in April. Over the last three months tomato prices dropped 34 cents in February, then jumped 22 cents in March, before dropping in April. Red delicious apples were eight cents a pound less. For the second straight month there was a slight increase in the cost of retail dairy products. A gallon of milk increased seven cents, and butter was up one cent a pound. Cheese was five cents a pound less, but should start to increase as cash markets for cheese have risen in the last month. Cheese pizza cost 34 cents more. Dairy farmers are starting to get more favorable prices for their milk, with long-range forecasts projecting farmers getting $2 more per hundred pounds of milk than last year. Beef prices dipped slightly in April, with round steak down five cents, and chuck roast down nine cents a pound. Ham was 12 cents a pound more, and pork roast was 11 cents a pound more in April. Compared to a year ago, the Market Basket for April was $1.85 cents more, when the survey averaged $70.08 for the same food items. Shoppers paid more for beef, chicken, and dairy, compared to April of last year, and paid less for pork, grain-based foods and fruits and vegetables. Communities surveyed by Farm Bureau volunteer market reporters were Appleton, Ashland, Eau Claire, Fond du Lac, Grafton, Green Bay, Janesville, La Crosse, Ladysmith, Lancaster, Madison, Manitowoc, Marshfield, Medford, Mequon, Milwaukee, Oshkosh, Portage, Racine, Shawano, Sheboygan, Stevens Point, Watertown, Waukesha, Wausau and West Bend. Food prices vary based on location.