You say tomato, I say tomato... ok, so it doesn’t work so well in print but, however you say it, these fruits are highly popular, with Household Economic Survey figures showing New Zealanders spent more than $100 million on tomatoes in the year to June 2010.

However, according to Statistics New Zealand’s recently released Price Index, the humble tom took its toll on household budgets last July, soaring to a record average price of $13.25 per kg, 52% higher than in July 2010.

So does this mean we are actually paying tom-uch for our treasured reds?

The Consumer price index (CPI) indicates that, on average, the price of tomatoes has actually decreased over the years, from the equivalent of $9.10 per kg in 1949 (allowing for general food price inflation) to just $4.40 per kg in March 2011.

What’s more, this ‘saucy’ pricing trend extends beyond fresh toms to processed products, with prices decreasing for tomato sauce from the equivalent of $5.40 for a 283g bottle in March 1949, to a weighted average price of $3.04 per 560g bottle in October 2011.

While Kiwis buy more tomatoes when in season (and therefore cheaper), the average volume remains similar year round.