During the first full working week after Bulgaria joined the eurozone, wholesale prices for most basic food items moved upward, according to figures from the State Commission on Commodity Exchanges and Markets.

The Market Price Index, which tracks changes in wholesale food prices nationwide, climbed by 1.63 percent on a weekly basis, reaching 2.429 points compared to 2.390 points the previous week. The reference value of 1.000 dates back to 2005.

Among vegetables, zucchini recorded the sharpest increase, rising by just over 19 percent to 1.43 euros per kilogram. Tomatoes also became more expensive, up 8.33 percent to 1.82 euros per kilogram. Prices of cabbage increased by 6.34 percent to 0.42 euros per kilogram, red peppers by 4.11 percent to 1.40 euros per kilogram, and carrots by just over 1 percent to 0.55 euros per kilogram.

At the same time, several vegetables became cheaper. Cucumbers saw a notable decline of 13.03 percent and are now sold wholesale at 2.15 euros per kilogram. The price of ripe onions dropped by 7.6 percent to 0.45 euros per kilogram, potatoes by 6.46 percent to 0.44 euros per kilogram, and green peppers by 6.05 percent to 1.10 euros per kilogram.

Fruit prices mostly moved upward as well. Apples rose by 8.11 percent to 1.20 euros per kilogram, lemons by 6.48 percent to 1.64 euros per kilogram, oranges by 5.17 percent to 1.22 euros per kilogram, and bananas by 4.29 percent to 1.46 euros per kilogram. Tangerines were the only exception, becoming cheaper by 1.63 percent and trading at 1.21 euros per kilogram.

In the dairy segment, cow’s cheese edged up slightly by 0.08 percent to 6.02 euros per kilogram, while “Vitosha”-type yellow cheese fell by 0.55 percent to 9.37 euros per kilogram. Yogurt with 3 percent or higher fat content increased by 4.59 percent and is sold at 0.75 euros per 400-gram container. Fresh milk rose by 1.19 percent to 1.19 euros per liter, and butter in 125-gram packages went up by 0.63 percent to 1.55 euros per piece.

Frozen chicken meat recorded a minor decrease of 0.4 percent to 3.51 euros per kilogram. Eggs, size M, became more expensive by 2.45 percent and are now traded wholesale at 0.22 euros per piece.

Staple foods also saw mixed movements. Rice prices increased by 1.08 percent to 1.73 euros per kilogram, while ripe beans rose to 2.15 euros per kilogram. Lentils became more expensive by 2.6 percent, reaching 2.16 euros per kilogram. Type 500 flour went up by 5.44 percent to 0.81 euros per kilogram, and cooking oil increased slightly by 0.83 percent to 1.70 euros per liter. Sugar, however, moved in the opposite direction, falling by 1.25 percent to 0.90 euros per kilogram.