Wholesale foodservice price inflation has risen to 6% in March due to a leap in the price of fish, which is up nearly 20% year-on-year, according to the latest CGA Prestige Foodservice Price Index.

The new figures also suggested that ongoing inflation in sugar, meat, cereal and vegetable prices was also to blame.

The 19.9% rise in the price of fish follows a lean start to the year for US salmon fishermen, with poor cod catches and sea lice problems adding to the cost of farming.

The 6% increase for March shows that year-on-year price rises have been steadily accelerating in recent months, from 3.7% in February, 2.9% in January and 1.8% in December.

The gap between the Foodservice Price Index and the Consumer Price Index has grown to 1.2% in the 12 months to March 2017.

Prices in the foodservice sector continue to be affected by a number of factors including the weak pound, which has driven overseas demand for British meat and poultry products, pushing prices up significantly on 2016.

Another factor has been the lower than usual exports and rising prices from UK beet producers has pushed sugar, chocolate and other confectionery inflation to above 10%.

Additonally, there have been rising oil prices, lower than usual supply of many items, as well as regional and climatic issues, are also impacting inflation.

However, the report pointed to some respite in inflation in vegetables. Prices are still up year-on–year, but the level of inflation has decreased while growth in British vegetable production in 2017 is expected to further push inflation down.

(source: CGA)