By Sue-Ann Wayow
INCREASE in the prices of flour, milk, frozen chicken, fish and snacks have caused the Retail Price Index for Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages to increase 1.1% in January.
The Central Statistical Office (CSO) said the Retail Price Index in December 2021 was 127. It increased to 128.1 in January 2022, reflecting the increase.
On Friday, the CSO releases the information to the media.
The CSO stated, “Contributing significantly to this increase was the general upward movement in the prices of carite – fresh, powdered milk – full cream, parboiled rice, white flour, kingfish – fresh, carrots, eddoes, snacks (corn curls, cheese balls, tortilla chips etc.), other chilled or frozen chicken (parts) and cucumber.
“The full impact of these price decreases was offset by the general decreases in the prices of tomatoes, pumpkin, chive, other fruit drinks (not orange), fresh beef, steak – fresh beef, carbonated soft drinks, potatoes, apples and salted pigtail.”
There were also increases from December 2021 to January 2022 in the following sub-indices:
- Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco: 2%;
- Clothing and Footwear: 3%;
- Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels: 1.3%;
- Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Maintenance of the House: 0.7%;
- Health:1.1%;
- Transport: 0.5%;
- Communication: 2.5%;
- Hotels, Cafés and Restaurant: 1%; and
- Miscellaneous Goods and Services: 0.7%.
Decreases were noted for Recreation and Culture of 2.7%. “All other sections remained unchanged,” CSO stated.
Inflation Rate
The CSO stated that the Inflation Rate for January 2022 (measured as the percentage change in the average All Items Index for the period January 2022/January 2021) was 3.8%.
This represents an increase from 2.0% which was recorded in the previous period (January to December 2021/January to December 2020).
The Inflation Rate for the comparative period (January 2021/January 2020) was 0.9%.
