With the new year just around the corner many Texans are looking ahead. The past year had many worries, from the economy, to job losses, gas prices, and food prices. According to the Texas Farm Bureau Grocery Price Watch food prices shouldn't have to be much of a concern this coming year. The bureau found that shoppers not only shaved a few cents off their grocery bills from the third to fourth quarters of the year, but they saved, on average, almost $2 in comparison to what they paid for the same items at the beginning of 2009.
Food prices on the 16 items sampled across the state rang in at $50.29 in the final quarter of the year, having fallen 17 cents, on average, since the last informal survey conducted three months ago. The survey also found that fourth quarter prices had fallen $1.68, on average, from Texas Farm Bureau's first Grocery Price Watch conducted at the start of 2009.
"This has definitely been a tough year for all of us, farmers, ranchers and consumers alike," said Texas Farm Bureau President Kenneth Dierschke, a San Angelo cotton and grain farmer. "Economic and commodity markets dove. Mother Nature tossed us one of the worst droughts ever. But even in hard times, our farmers and ranchers in this great state continue a grand tradition of growing the best possible food and fiber in ways that ensure they remain the most affordable in the world."
The current survey was conducted during the week of Dec. 13-19 by 22 volunteer shoppers all across Texas. This final quarter survey marks the first full year of Texas Farm Bureau's Grocery Price Watch, and it will serve as a benchmark for future annual food price comparisons.
Dairy goods saw some of the largest price drops for the year of 2009. Cheddar cheese fell an average of 78 cents to $4.17 per one-pound block and ice cream fell an average of 48 cents to $5.01 per half gallon. Whole milk, however, was up 39 cents to $4.03 per gallon.
Other items noting price declines in the final quarter included turkey slices,corn flakes,grapefruit,cake mix, bread, and porterhouse steaks.
The largest single cost increase in the fourth quarter came in the price of boneless pork chops, up 52 cents to $3.56 per pound.
Other increases include lettuce,tomatoes,dried pinto beans, and lean ground beef.
