Estimates from various private consultancies for the inflation of February, indicate a floor of 6%, explained by increases in the food item, especially in meat priceswith which the interannual mark of the Consumer Price Index (CPI), in the second month of the year could reach 100%.
The first fortnight of February produced a measurement in the inflation of 6.1% compared to the previous month, and the items that showed the greatest increase were food and beverages, with a rise of 9.2% mainly marked by the increase in the price of meat that reached 22.2% explaining almost 1.3 points in the overall rise.
Fruits also showed a price jump of 15.8%; while the dairy and eggs category climbed 7%. Mass consumption products climbed slightly below the average, reaching 5.3%, explained by the impact on the inflation of the Fair Prices program that determines the freezing of 2,000 products with a guideline of 3.2% monthly increase until June inclusive.
According to a weekly survey by one of the consultants, the list of foods that showed the greatest increase in their prices in the second week of February it was led by dairy products and eggs, with 4.9%; meats 3.7%; condiments and other food products 3.6%; bakery, cereals and pasta 2.1%; beverages and infusions to consume at home 1.9% and closed the category of sugar, honey, sweets and cocoa with an increase of 1.7%.
The latest increases in meat prices, seen in the fourth week of January, were not measured by the INDEC for the index of the first month of the year, therefore the incidence on the CPI for February could reach 1%, explain the specialists, who add another similar percentage, justified by the increases in the regulated prices of electricity, gas and water services.