KINGSTON – Despite the rapidly rising costs of fuel used to bring foods to market, the weekly cost of feeding a family of four in Ulster County declined by three percent in the most recent survey as compared to the previous survey two weeks before and conducted by the county’s Consumer Fraud Bureau.

The marketbasket for the week ending March 25 was $219.35, down $7.06, primarily due to an increase in sale items in the Grain Products category.

The survey is intended to provide consumers of Ulster County with information regarding fluctuations in the local cost of retail foods and is conducted twice each month in three local chain supermarkets with an average compared to the previous survey.

The items in the survey are based on the USDA’s Moderate Cost Family Food Plan.