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                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, February 20, 1992                   TAG: 9202200041
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: B-7   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

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FOOD COSTS UP SLIGHTLY IN ROANOKE

Food costs rose 0.4 percent this month in Roanoke area supermarkets, according to a new report from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

The agency said its order of 40 commonly purchased food items cost $72.49 in area stores, up from $72.23 in January but down 0.7 percent from $72.93 in February 1991.

In Hampton Roads supermarkets, the report showed, a similar order cost $77.56 this month, up 0.5 percent for the month and 1.4 percent from a year ago. In Northern Virginia, the market basket of goods cost $82.07, up 0.6 percent for the month but down 0.2 percent in a year. In Richmond supermarkets, the food cost $76.88, down 1.4 percent from January and 1.3 percent from February 1991. - Staff report

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