The Consumer Price Index of “food and beverages” stood at 569.3 in the month ending April 20, indicating a 4.7% increase compared with the previous month, the highest monthly rise among 12 groups of goods and services recorded by the Statistical Center of Iran.
The average CPI of “food and beverages” in the 12-month period ending April 20 increased by 50.8% compared with last year’s corresponding period.
The index registered a year-on-year increase of 43.4%.
The 12 groups of the basket of consumer goods and services purchased by households include "food and beverages" with a coefficient of 26.64%, "tobacco" with 0.59%, "clothing and shoes" with 4.78%, "housing, water, electricity, natural gas and other fuels" with 35.5% (highest), "furniture, home appliances and their maintenance" with 3.93%, "health and treatment" with 7.14%, "transportation" with 9.41%, "communications" with 2.87%, "leisure and culture" with 1.65%, "education" with 1.86%, "hotels and restaurants" with 1.44% and "miscellaneous items and services" with 4.18%.
The overall goods and services CPI in the 12-month period ending April 20 increased by 39.2% compared with the corresponding period of the year before.
SCI had put the average annual inflation rate for the preceding Iranian month, which ended on March 20, at 40.2%.
The consumer inflation for the month under review (March 21-April 20) registered an increase of 35.6% compared with the similar month of the previous Iranian year. The year-on-year inflation of the month ending March 20 was 34.7%.
The overall CPI (using the Iranian year to March 2017 as the base year) stood at 415 for the month ending April 20, indicating a 3.3% rise compared with the month before. Month-on-month consumer inflation was 1.3% for the preceding month.
SCI put average inflation for urban and rural areas at 38.7% and 41.6%, respectively.
The biggest month-on-month price rise for a food item in urban areas was recorded for tomato with 27.6%
CPI registered a year-on-year increase of 35.2% for urban areas and 37.2% for rural areas in the month.
The overall CPI reached 409.4 for urban households and 446.5 for rural households, indicating a month-on-month increase of 3.2% and 4%, respectively.
The highest and lowest monthly growth in the index among 12 groups of the basket of consumer goods and services purchased by households in the Iranian month ending March 20 was recorded for “food and beverages”, “hotels and restaurants” and “miscellaneous items and services” each with 4.8% and “education” with 0.4% month-on-month.
The highest year-on-year inflation in the month under review was posted for “hotels and restaurants” with 55.2% while the lowest YOY inflation was registered for “communications” with 4.6%.
The highest and lowest annualized inflation rates were registered for “hotels and restaurants” with 61.9% and “communications” with 5.5%.
SCI has reviewed price changes of 53 food products during the fiscal month ending April 20 in a separate report.
The biggest month-on-month price rise for a food item in urban areas was recorded for tomato with 27.6%, which was sold for 160,170 rials (35 cents) per kilogram.
The second and third biggest month-on-month price increase during the period under review was registered for cucumber with 11.4% and potato with 10%.
Cucumber was sold at 144,588 rials ($51 cents) per kg and potato went for 205,026 rials (72 cents) per kg.
Three out of 53 food items examined by SCI saw a price decline in the 12th Iranian month (Feb. 20-March 20) compared with the previous month.
Watermelon with 24.1%, bell pepper with 5.2% and soda with 0.9% were sold at 82,492 rials (29 cents), 209,398 rials (74 cents) and 136,560 rials (48 cents) respectively.
Compared with the same month of the previous year, the retail prices of potato increased by 186.8%, registering the highest year-on-year price rise. A kilogram of potato was sold at 149,872 rials (53 cents).
The second and third biggest year-on-year price rise was registered for tomato with 155.2% and first-grade Iranian rice with 114.6%. A kilogram of tomato was sold at 160,170 rials (56 cents) and a kilogram of first-grade rice went for 761,609 rials ($2.68).
Two out of 53 food items registered a year-on-year price deflation in the month under review. Solid vegetable oil with 12.44% and melon with 11.6%, showed the highest month-on-month deflation. This is while hydrogenated oil was sold at 202,218 rials (71 cents) and melon at 120,293 rials (42 cents).
