The National Statistics Office has revealed data relating to the evolution of the consumer price index (CPI) at the rate of inflation during the month of March.
In its monthly newsletter, ONS saw a bullish trend in both CPI and inflation. Thus, in March 2023 and compared to February, the general consumer price index, at the national level, recorded an increase of 1.9%. Food prices increased by 3.1%. The annual inflation rate accelerated to 9.4% during the last month, while in February it was at 9.3%.
The national consumer price index is established on the basis of price observation carried out among a sample of 17 towns and villages representative of the different regions of the country.
In Algiers, according to the ONS, the gross consumer price index recorded an increase of 2.1% in March 2023 compared to the previous month, i.e. a variation close to that observed in the same month of the past year. Explaining that: “This result (+2.1%), more important than that recorded in February (+1.1%), is mainly induced by the prices of food goods which mark an evolution of +3.6% “.
Fresh agricultural products most affected by rising prices
The prices of fresh agricultural products are distinguished by a fairly significant increase estimated at 6.1%, according to the ONS, specifying that more or less significant variations characterize the products of this category which record an increase of 31.2% for vegetables and +3.1% for potatoes. »
In the same trend, the prices of industrial food products posted a rate of +0.8%, “driven mainly by the growth in the prices of non-alcoholic beverages (+7.9%) and that of other food products (+2, 7%),” the ONS says.
READ ALSO: 2 days before Eid El-Fitr, soaring vegetable prices persist in Algeria
In addition, price drops were observed for fruit (-0.6%) and meat and beef offal (-0.3%),” reveals the same source.
In March 2023 and compared to March 2022, according to the ONS, the growth in food prices is +14.9%. Fresh agricultural products recorded an increase of +24.8% with +46.4% for meat and sheep offal and +43.2% for fruit. Industrial food products saw an increase of 5.3% with +12.4% for milk cheese derivatives.
The same source also notes that the prices of manufactured products show a variation of +1.1%, “they thus contribute to the general result. “The prices of services show a slight increase of 0.1%”, according to the Office, which specifies that in March 2023 and compared to the same month of the previous year, “the growth in the prices of manufactured products is by 7.2% and that of services by 3.1%. »
The same source concludes, stating that in March 2023 and compared to the same month of 2022, the evolution of consumer prices is +10.1%.
