The cost of food fell last month as fruit and vegetable prices dropped.
Overall, prices fell 1% in March, figures from Statistics New Zealand show.
Fruit and vegetable prices were down 4.2%, with apples, grapes, pumpkin and cauliflower prices down by 20% or more.
Lower prices for meat, poultry and fish were the next largest contributor to the drop.
The price fall comes after a 0.6% increase in February.
It takes the annual rise in food prices down to 0.2% over the past year.
As a result of the food price fall ASB economists have cut their forecasts for March quarter inflation to 0.5% from 0.6%.
The price of food accounts for 19% of the Consumers Price Index.
