Los food and beverage prices increased 9.3% and they remained for the third consecutive month above the general level of inflation, with strong increases in vegetables, meat and dairy products, INDEC reported.
In the first quarter of the year, the increase in food prices exceeded the general level by seven percentage points, with a rise of 28.9%, against 21.9% of retail prices..
In the last twelve months, food experienced an increase of 106.6% and exceeded the general consumer price index by two percentage points, of 104.6%.
In January, the prices of the items that make up the basic food basket increased by 6.8%but in the following two months they bordered double digits, with a rise of 9.8% in February and 9.3% in March.
Which foods led the increases in March
The lettucewith an increase of 58,3%led the increases in March, compared to February, followed by orange, with 43.6%; the round tomato, with 37.3%; the whole chicken, with 26.7%; eggs, with 25.7%; sweet potato, with 19.9% and table bread, with 12.9%.
In red meat, the price of roast rose 7.1% compared to last February, while minced meat rose 3.4%, shoulder 9.8%, rump 9.8%, buttock 10.3% , frozen hamburgers 10.7% and hake fillet 10.6%.
Lettuce, with an increase of 58.3%, led the increases in March
Between the dairy month-on-month increases were 6.7% in fresh milk whole in sachet, while in the cheeses the creamy increased its price by 8.2%, the pategras 7.5%; Sardinian 9.9%; yogurt 4.4%; butter 3.9% and dulce de leche 8%.
In store products, packaged sweet cookies increased 0.9%, common wheat flour 2.3%, rice 6.9% and stew-type dry noodles 6.5%.
Inflation was 7.7% in March
The Government of Alberto Fernández received a hard blow this Friday, given that the inflation index published by INDEC shows a new acceleration in prices. Official information confirmed that inflation was 7.7% in March, a figure even worse than that of February (6.6%) and a bucket of cold water for Sergio Massa in the midst of an electoral campaign that demands definitions regarding to candidacies.
In addition, prices accumulate an advance of 21.7% so far in 2023.
With the new index known today, it was confirmed that inflation for the last 12 months reached 104.3%. This data is the worst that has been recorded since 1992, thirty years ago, when in January the accumulated annual figure had been 76%.
Closer in time, during the presidency of Mauricio Macri, in May 2019 year-on-year inflation reached a peak of 57.3%.
The inflation data of 7% in March complicates the disinflation plans of the Minister of Economy, Sergio Massawho would have estimated a CPI below 4% for the month of April.
Concern: March had the highest inflation in the last 12 months.
Prices: the main increases in March
The division with the highest increase in the month was Education (29.1%), due to increases in all educational levels at the beginning of the school year.
The following divisions with the greatest variations in the period were Clothing and footwear (9.4%), coinciding with the change of season, and Food and non-alcoholic beverages (9.3%), due to the increases in Meat and derivatives and Milk, dairy products and eggs. The increases in cigarettes were also notable, within Alcoholic beverages and tobacco (8.3%); of water, gas and electricity services in some regions, in Housing, water, electricity and other fuels (6.5%); and fuel and public transport, within the Transport division (5.3%).
The increase in Food and non-alcoholic beverages (9.3%) had the greatest impact in all regions. Within the division, the rise in Meat and derivatives stood out. In turn, although to a lesser extent, the increases in Vegetables, tubers and legumes stood out, followed by Milk, dairy products and eggs; and ¬nally by Fruits.
The two divisions with the lowest variation in March were Recreation and culture (4.4%) and Communication (1.9%).
At the category level, Seasonal led the increase (9.3%) followed by Regulated (8.3%); while the IPC Núcleo recorded an increase of 7,2%.
