Although a lot of the heat has gone out of the cost of living crisis debate and the inflationary spiral that we just went through, there are signs that inflation is still a cause for concern.
Food price inflation is one area that seems to be resistant to taming.
Note the recent plaint to the Irish Taoiseach that a bag of spuds has doubled in price since the spiral began. The CSO in Ireland calculates that the inflation rate in Irish supermarkets is 4.5 percent.
Elsewhere in the UK general inflation rates have nearly doubled lately. No-one who does the grocery shopping can be in any doubt that prices are still, stingingly, rising.
Keeping fresh produce prices relatively stable is an onerous task for producers given current cost increases.
Fluctuating currency rates can only add to that headache.
People in the know say the things to look out for are where the dollar is going, also interest rates and the inflation rate.
