ISLAMABAD: The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) based inflation for the week ended April 6, 2023, recorded an increase of 0.92 percent due to an increase in the prices of food items including chicken (15.87per cent), sugar (13.48per cent), potatoes (5.11per cent), bananas (4.95per cent), wheat flour (3.10per cent), gur (2.12per cent), eggs (1.26per cent), milk fresh (1.24per cent) and non-food item long cloth (1.95per cent), says the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).
The year-on-year trend depicts an increase of 44.49 per cent mainly due to an increase in the prices of cigarettes (165.88per cent), wheat flour (131.72per cent), gas charges for q1 (108.38per cent), diesel (102.84per cent), eggs (98.34per cent), tea Lipton (97.63per cent), rice basmati broken (84.92per cent), bananas (82.23per cent), petrol (81.17per cent), rice irri-6/9 (80.61per cent), moong (68.14per cent), potatoes (65.95per cent), maash (56.70per cent) and onions (55.75per cent), while a decrease is observed in the prices of tomatoes (50.39per cent) and chillies powdered (6.48per cent).
The SPI for the week under review was recorded at 252.06 points against 249.75 points registered in the previous week, according to the latest PBS data released on Friday.
During the week, out of 51 items, prices of 27 (52.94per cent) items increased, seven (13.73per cent) items decreased and 17 (33.33per cent) items remained stable.
The SPI for the consumption group up to Rs17,732, Rs17,732-22,888, Rs22,889-29,517, Rs29,518-44,175 and above Rs44,175 consumption group increased by 0.92 per cent, 1 per cent, 1 per cent, 1.03 per cent, and 0.84 per cent respectively.
The items, which recorded an increase in their average prices during the week over previous include chicken (15.87 per cent), sugar (13.48 per cent), potatoes (5.11 per cent), bananas (4.95per cent), wheat flour bag 20 kg (3.10per cent), gur (2.12per cent), long cloth 57” Gul Ahmed/Al Karam(1.95per cent), eggs (1.26per cent), milk fresh (1.24per cent), rice irri-6/9 (0.80per cent), shirting (0.75per cent), beef with bone (0.71per cent), rice basmati broken (0.69 per cent), curd (0.60per cent), toilet soap Lifebuoy (0.56per cent), lawn printed Gul Ahmed/Al Karam(0.55per cent), tea prepared (0.44per cent), salt powdered (0.39 per cent), Georgette (0.36per cent), Sufi washing soap (0.31per cent), mutton (0.18per cent), moong (0.16per cent), masoor (0.15per cent), maash (0.09per cent), cooked beef (0.04per cent), cooking oil Dalda or other similar brand (sn), 5 litre tin each (0.04per cent), and cooked daal(0.02per cent).
The commodities, which recorded a decrease in their average prices were tomatoes (14.96 per cent), onions (12.66 per cent), LPG (3.73 per cent), pulse gram (1.20 per cent), vegetable ghee Dalda/Habib 2.5 kg tin each (0.71 per cent), garlic (0.16 per cent) and mustard oil (0.03 per cent).
The commodities, prices of which, remained unchanged included bread plain, powdered milk Nido, vegetable ghee Dalda/Habib or other superior quality 1kg pouch each, chilies powder National, tea Lipton Yellow Label, cigarettes Capstan 20’s packet each, gents sandal Bata pair, gents sponge chappal Bata pair, ladies sandal Bata pair, electricity charges for q1, gas charges, firewood whole 40kg, energy saver Philips, matchbox, petrol super, hi-speed diesel, and telephone call charges.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023