19.25 percent surge recorded in SPI inflation

The SPI inflation surged by 19.25 percent on week ending January 6, 2009 over the same period of last year, but declined by 0.24 percent during the week, said Federal Bureau of Statistics. The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) figures, released by the FBS here on Saturday, showed that prices of 12 essential commodities had increased during the week including fruits, vegetables, pulses and wheat.
However, after the decline of 0.24 percent in SPI, the dearness for low income group with monthly earning up to Rs 3000 was recorded at 18.16 percent, followed by 18.69 percent for Rs 3001-5000 income group. The dearness for families with average monthly income Rs 5001-Rs 12000 was recorded 19.71 percent and above Rs 12000 income families it was recorded 19.61 percent.
The SPI bulletin, based on data of 53 items collected from 17 urban centres showed increase in prices of 12 essential commodities, decline in 12 and the prices of 29 commodities remained stable during the week.
The price of per kg vegetable ghee loose increased to Rs 100.09 from Rs 91.96, LPG (11 kg cylinder) each to Rs 831.06 from Rs 788.38, sugar kg to Rs 37.47 from Rs 36.10, gur kg to Rs 40.91 from Rs 39.84, bananas dozen to Rs 34.44 from Rs 34.02, gram pulse washed kg to Rs 59.66 from Rs 59.10, cooked dal plate each to Rs 25.82 from Rs 25.65, firewood 40 kg to Rs 271.03 from Rs 269.52, moong pulse washed kg to Rs 48.17 from Rs 48.05, wheat average quality kg to Rs 24.58 from Rs 24.55, rice basmati broken kg to Rs 45.05 from Rs 45.03, masoor pulse washed kg to Rs 128.51 from Rs 128.47.
The prices of following items declined during the week. The price of per dozen egg hen came down from Rs 66.54 to Rs 59.02, onion kg from Rs 24.18 to Rs 22.25, wheat flour average quality kg from Rs 25.92 to Rs 25.30, potatoes kg from Rs 17.24 to Rs 16.85, chicken farm kg from Rs 89.97 to Rs 89.50, kerosene litre from Rs 64.18 to Rs 63.95, garlic kg from Rs 45.66 to Rs 43.57, mutton per kg from Rs 258.73 to Rs 258.53, red chillies per kg from Rs 136.61 to Rs 136.35, mustard oil kg from Rs 141.69 to Rs 141.52, rice Irri-6 kg from Rs 36.50 to Rs 36.47 and tomatoes kg from Rs 25.41 to Rs 25.40.