(Photo by Nick Blumberg - KJZZ)

Average grocery bills are getting cheaper in Arizona, with prices falling in both the first and second quarters of this year.

Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Director Julie Murphree says part of the reason is because right now there’s a large supply of what farmers grow and ship to grocers, which drives food prices down nationwide.

But also at the local level, Murphree says Phoenix grocery stores have a lot of pricing pressure with one another. “Our Arizona Grocery Association has identified the Phoenix Metro Market as being the most competitive market in the United States," she said.

Prices are measured by the Arizona Farm Bureau Federation using a Marketbasket Survey, tracking 16 basic grocery items including meats, dairy, grains, fruit and vegetables— all the same items— from the same grocery store each calendar quarter.

At last check the basket price has fallen 4 percent, with the biggest decrease in price in shredded cheese and eggs.