Fresh fruit expenditure among Japanese households is at its lowest rate in 11 years, according to figures from the country’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communication's Statistics Bureau.
Figures show households on average purchased 6.07 kgs of fruit in the month of March. This volume was the lowest recorded in the last 11 years.
Likewise, fruit expenditure in the month was the lowest in 11 years, with the average household sending ¥2,514.
The average price per kg of fruit was ¥414 (US$5.20), which was slightly higher than the average price per kg over the last 11 years of ¥408.
Banana sales were up in March with households purchasing on average 1.71 kgs of the fruit for the month. This represented the second highest level of consumption in the last 11 years.
The average expenditure per household on bananas during the month was ¥383, with the average price per kg price of ¥225 in line with the average cost during the last 11 years.
According to Tokyo Seika Co president Jack Moriya only domestically grown kiwifruit was available during March.
He said kiwifruit prices and consumption levels were affected during March by short supply, with expenditure of just ¥47 per household the second lowest in the last seven years.
The average price, however, of ¥691 was the highest in the last seven years.
“It is apparent that the earthquake and tsunami on 11 March has affected the expenditure for fresh fruits to a certain extent,” said Mr Moriya.
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