SPI inflation swells to 16.65 percent

The SPI inflation swelled to 16.65 percent in the first week of current fiscal year on July 7 over the same period of last year following considerable increase in the prices of essential commodities in the wake of the budget. Official Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) figures, released by the Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS) on Saturday, showed that the prices of essential kitchen items increased during July 1-7.
The prices of tomatoes went up by 17.09 percent, potatoes 7.50 percent and onion and 5.99 percent. The CPI inflation, following the increase in the prices, rose by 0.53 percent during the week. The inflation or dearness affected most the low income group bracketed in monthly earning of Rs 3000 as dearness soared for them by 17.58 percent during the period under review, followed by 16.84 percent for the income group between Rs 3001 to Rs 5000, and 16.06 percent for income group bracketed in Rs 5001 to Rs 12,000. The dearness for above Rs 12,000 income group was measured at 16.13 percent on July 7, 2007.
The prices sample of 53 essential commodities was collected from 17 urban centres for computation of SPI which showed an increase in the price of 22 items, whereas the prices of only 8 essential commodities declined during the week. However, the prices of 23 essential commodities remained stable but were considerably higher relative to the same period of last month and most of them were even in double digits.
Analysis of the data showed that price of per kg tomatoes increased to Rs 48.72 from Rs 41.61, potatoes kg to Rs 33.27 from Rs 30.95, egg hen (farm) dozen to Rs 74.35 from Rs 70.15, onions kg to Rs 15.82 from Rs 14.99, LPG (11kg cylinder) each to Rs 1322.06 from Rs 1258.39, chicken (farm) kg to Rs 155.42 from Rs 148.46, shirting metre to Rs 100.53 from Rs 98.62, coarse latha metre to Rs 70.53 from Rs 69.36, gram pulse washed kg to Rs 71.69 from Rs 70.66, wheat flour average quality kg to Rs 29.57 from Rs 29.18, rice basmati broken kg to Rs 56.44 from Rs 55.73, wheat average quality kg to Rs 25.33 from Rs 25.04, gur kg to Rs 85.19 from Rs 84.34, rice Irri-6 kg to Rs 43.31 from Rs 42.88, washing soap nylon cake to Rs 17.29 from Rs 17.12, voil printed metre to Rs 65.78 from Rs 65.25, mutton kg to Rs 448.66 from Rs 446.31, sugar kg to Rs 70.83 from Rs 70.58, mash pulse washed kg to Rs 154.87 from Rs 154.39, beef kg to Rs 231.85 from Rs 231.26, milk fresh litre to Rs 56.17 from Rs 56.12 and mustard oil kg to Rs 169.72 from Rs 169.58.
The price of garlic decreased to Rs 152.30 during the period under review from Rs 159.24, petrol to Rs 84.61 from Rs 87.56, bananas to Rs 58.26 from Rs 59.97, diesel to Rs 92.92 from Rs 94.88, vegetable ghee loose to Rs 165.91 from Rs 166.37, red chillies to Rs 253.26 from Rs 253.70, kerosene to Rs 96.58 from Rs 96.73 and moong pulse washed to Rs 139.91 from Rs 139.97.