A survey shows average retail food prices in Kentucky supermarkets made a small but steady climb in the second quarter of this year.
The Marketbasket Survey by the Kentucky Farm Bureau Federation shows the total cost of 40 basic grocery items was $122.23. That was $1.53, or 1.3 percent, higher than the cost for the same items in the prior quarter. It amounts to an overall 1.8 percent increase in grocery prices so far this year.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is forecasting a 2.5 percent to 3.5 percent increase in food prices this year. The Marketbasket Survey tracks prices for several food groups _ beef, pork, poultry, dairy, grains and fruits and vegetables. The latest survey found that pork had the largest increase with an average price jump of 8.2 percent.