WELLINGTON, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Egg price in New Zealand reached a record high of 4.43 New Zealand dollars a dozen in April 2019, said Statistics New Zealand on Monday.

According to the statistics bureau, egg price in New Zealand has been rising since nine months ago. A national egg shortage may be one of the reasons for the rise in retail egg prices. Industry reports suggested that farmers were switching away from caged hens to more expensive free-range egg production, resulting in a downturn of egg supply.

Consequently, the weighted average price of both caged and barn eggs increased to 4.43 dollars a dozen in April, up from 3.89 dollars a dozen in April 2018.

"A decade ago, a single egg cost 28 cents, and in April this year it reached 37 cents an egg," consumer prices manager Gael Price from Statistics New Zealand said.

However, seasonal falls in fresh fruit and vegetables resulted in overall fall in monthly food prices. Overall food prices in the country fell 0.1 percent last month.

Vegetable prices fell 2.6 percent and fruit prices fell 2.1 percent, offsetting the price rises for ready-to-eat food, milk, cheese and eggs.