CPI inflation up by 3.97 percent

Consumer price inflation has increased by 3.97 percent on year-on-year basis in November 2017 due to increase in prices of petroleum products, perishable food items, health and education. Average annual inflation increased by 3.59 percent in the first five months of the current fiscal year against the same period of last fiscal year, according to monthly inflation data released by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) at a select media briefing on Tuesday.
A rise of 0.37 percent in CPI inflation was noted in November 2017 over previous month.
On year-on year basis, overall food inflation was 3.44 percent on the back of 17.91 percent increase in perishable food items and 0.82 percent in non-perishable food items while cost of clothing and footwear increased to 3.80 percent, housing water, electricity, gas and others 4.85 percent, health cost soared to 9.99 percent, transport 4.61 percent and education 12.40 percent due to considerable increase in the fee of government colleges and universities.
Likewise, food items whose prices increased on year-on year basis include onion, 187.01 percent; tomatoes, 107.51 percent; ginger, 19.65 percent; while in non-perishable food items, the price of tea increased 16.06 percent and eggs by 12.94 percent.
Food items whose prices decreased in November 2017 against October 2017 were turnip, 26.27 percent; garlic, 7.36 percent; ginger, 4.82 percent; onion, 2.81 percent; and lemon, 2.06 percent. Price of pulse mash decreased in November by 5.25 percent; pulse moong 4.19 percent; pulse masoor, 2.62 percent; pulse gram, 2.06 percent; and gram whole, 1.25 percent while price of sugar refined decreased by 1.98 percent, and bananas price came down by 4.40 percent.
The price of government university fee increased by 37.72 percent in November 2017 against November 2016, government college fee, 23.90 percent, engineering college fee, 32.47 percent, and medical college fee increased by 15.79 percent. Price of diesel increased by 15.97 percent, iron bar 15.80 percent, rice 15.56 percent, kerosene oil 10.23 percent, diesel, 15.97 percent, and petrol price increased by 17.54 percent.