Maravi

CSO links inflation to high food prices

CSO links inflation to high food prices
Written by Kabanda Chulu
Friday, May 29, 2009 4:42:28 PM

CENTRAL Statistical Office (CSO) director Efreda Chulu yesterday attributed the 0.4 percentage point increase in the rate of inflation to higher prices of some food and non-food products in the country.

Releasing the CSO bulletin in Lusaka that has seen the inflation rate rise from 14.3 per cent in April 2009 to 14.7 per cent in May 2009, Chulu said food products accounted for 7.9 percentage points while non-food products accounted for a total of 6.8 percentage points.

“Contributing most to the increase in food inflation were increases in the cost of white breakfast meal, cereals and cereal products, meat, fish, kapenta, fresh vegetables, fresh milk and coffee, sugar, table salt and other processed food products,” said Chulu. “However, reductions were recorded in the cost of some food products such as maize grain, white roller meal, dried beans, sweet potatoes, shelled groundnuts and fresh fruits.”

And the annual food inflation rate was recorded at 16.1 per cent in May 2009 as compared to 15.9 per cent that was recorded in April 2009 while the annual non-food inflation rate stood at 13.3 per cent in May 2009 from the 12.7 per cent recorded in April 2009.

And a comparison of selected food products between April 2009 and May 2009, showed that national average price of a 25 kilogramme bag of white breakfast meal increased by 2.2 per cent from K65, 543 to K66, 970.

However, national average price of a 20 litre tin of maize grain declined by 12.4 per cent, from K26, 015 to K22, 789.

Labels: CSO, EFREDA CHULU, FOOD, INFLATION

posted by MrK @ 3:45 PM