Food Inflation Rates Surveyed

EghtesadOnline: The Statistical Center of Iran has released a new report, reviewing the price changes in 53 food items during the month ending Sept. 21–the sixth month of the current Iranian year.

News ID: ۷۵۱۱۸۲

04 October 2020

The biggest month-on-month price rise for a food item during the month under review in urban areas was recorded for cucumbers with 22.3%. A kilogram of cucumbers was sold at 70,372 rials (24 cents).

The second and third biggest month-on-month price increase during the period was registered for eggplant with 21.6% and bananas with 20.4%, the Statistical Center of Iran reported.

A kilogram of eggplants was sold at 56,987 rials (19 cents) and a kilogram of bananas went for 209,255 rials (70 cents) last month.

Seven out of 53 food items examined by SCI saw a price decline in the sixth Iranian month (Aug. 22-Sept. 21) compared with the month before. Bell pepper with 12.6%, watermelon with 8.8% and tomatoes with 6.4% were among items with the sharpest month-on-month deflations.

A kilogram of bell pepper was sold at 88,961 rials (30 cents), a kilogram of watermelon was at 24,842 rials (8 cents) and a kilogram of tomatoes went for 34,938 rials (12 cents).

Compared with the same month of the year before, the retail prices of watermelon during the month increased by 166%, registering the highest year-on-year price rise for a food item last month.

The second and third biggest year-on-year price rises in the same month among food items were registered for lentils with 137.2% and split pea with 119.2%.

A kilogram of lentils was sold at 237,437 rials (79 cents) and a kilogram of split pea went for 279,472 rials (93 cents) last month.

Year-on-year price deflations were registered for four food items: the sharpest of such price decreases was posted for potatoes with 20%. A kilogram of potatoes was sold at 37,823 rials (13 cents).

The prices of tomato paste, pistachio and beef decreased by 17.2%, 2.7% and 0.7%, respectively.

A kilogram of tomato paste was sold at 175,831 rials (59 cents), a kilogram of pistachio went for 1.74 million rials ($5.81) and a kilogram of beef went for 1.05 million rials ($3.51).

The average goods and services Consumer Price Index of food and beverages–among 12 groups of the basket of consumer goods and services purchased by households—in the 12-month period ending Sept. 21, which marks the end of the sixth Iranian month, increased by 21.7% compared with last year’s corresponding period.

With a coefficient of 26.64%, the CPI of the group stood at 282.5 in the month ending Sept. 21, indicating a 3% increase compared with the month before and a year-on-year increase of 31.4%.

The overall average goods and services Consumer Price Index in the 12-month period ending Sept. 21 increased by 26% compared with the corresponding period of last year.

SCI had put the average annual inflation rate for the preceding Iranian month, which ended on Aug. 21, at 25.8%.

The consumer inflation for the month under review (Aug. 22-Sept. 21) registered an increase of 34.4% compared with the similar month of the previous Iranian year. The year-on-year inflation of the month was 30.4%.

The overall CPI (using the Iranian year to March 2017 as the base year) stood at 244.3 last month, indicating a 3.6% rise compared with the month before. Month-on-month consumer inflation was 3.5% for the preceding month (July 22-Aug. 21.)

SCI put average annual inflation for urban and rural areas at 26.1% and 25.4%, respectively.

CPI registered a year-on-year increase of 34.5% for urban areas and 34.1% for rural areas in the month ending Sept. 21.

The overall CPI reached 243.1 for urban households and 251 for rural households, indicating a month-on-month increase of 3.6% and 3.5% for urban and rural areas, respectively.