Kiwis living the city life aren't usually aware of how much supermarkets mark-up grocery items - but talk to the farmers and the figures are shocking.
It seems reasonable for the supermarkets to charge, say, $6 a kilo for kumara - or way more than that in the South Island - until you realise you can buy them at the farm gate for a fraction of the cost.
Gisborne identity Richard Foon sells kumara for as little as $1 a kilo and still turns a profit.
“I suppose they got to pay wages and rent buildings - that sort of stuff,” Foon told Seven Sharp.
“When you think about it though, we grow it for three months and take all the risk and the shop owners have it for a week and double their money, pretty much.”
Countdown says the cost difference is due to transport, keeping supermarkets going and ensuring kumara is available all year round.
Foodstuffs says it's down to supply and demand, weather and maintaining a constant supply.
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