Higher electricity and dairy costs have pushed up producer prices.
Official figures show producers input prices, which are a measure of wholesale inflation, rose 1 percent in the three months to March compared with the previous quarter.
Prices received by producers increased 0.9.
Statistics New Zealand says electricity and gas prices rose by 20 percent, which is not unusual at that time of year because of low hydro lake levels.
On an annual basis, costs rose 3.1 percent, while prices rose 4 percent.
