Food inflation mounted to 15.67 percent in June, 2011 over the same month of 2010 after manifold increase in the prices of essential commodities, according to monthly Inflation Price Index. According to Consumer Price Index (CPI) for June, 2011, released by the Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS) on Saturday, sustained rise in the prices of food items continued to intensify pressure on inflation which jumped to 13.92 percent against targeted 9.5 percent for 2010-11.
FBS Secretary Asif Bajwa at a news conference claimed the credibility of the data and ruled out any possibility of fudging the figures, saying that data collection of prices of all items was done from the field under a prescribed method. Analysis of data showed an increase of 0.55 percent in inflation during June 2011 over previous month, and 13.13 percent in June 2011 over June 2010.
The rates of perishable food items went up by 30.87 percent and non-perishable food items by 16.07 percent during 2010-11 over 2009-10. The apparel, textile and footwear rates witnessed 30.87 percent increase followed by 15.32 percent fuel and lighting, 15.06 percent medicare, 14.38 percent recreation and entertainment. The rates of clearing and laundry went up by 12.54 percent, household furniture 10.18 percent and transportation and communication 15.32 percent.
The main commodities, which showed increase in their prices during June, 2011 over May, 2011 in food and beverages group included tomatoes (30.28 percent), potatoes (14.04 percent), eggs (12.10 percent), sugar (5.59 percent), cigarettes (3.40 percent), chicken farm (3.29 percent), beverages (2.33 percent), jam, tomato, pickles & vinegar (2.22 percent), milk fresh (1.95 percent), milk products (1.92 percent), meat (1.50 percent), gur (1.25 percent) and mustard oil (1.09 percent).
The cost of firewood went up by 1.62 percent in June over May 2011 and transport & Communication air fare 15.51 percent and service charges 1.47 percent. Tuition fee increased 1.89 percent and text books 1.33 percent. Cleaning laundry & personal appearance:- washing soap & detergent 3.15 percent, toilet soap 2.42 percent), jewellery 1.64 percent and hair cut & beauty parlour charges 1.13 percent.
The items which witnessed a significant increase in their prices during 2010-11 over 2009-10 included moong pulse 76.57percent, tomatoes 59.38 percent, spices (43.14 percent), onions (36.61 percent), vegetables (31.58 percent), gram pulse (30.86 percent), jewellery 29.68 percent), meat (26.68 percent), besan (29.63 percent), vegetable ghee (28.49 percent), mash pulse (27.53 percent), sugar (26.89 percent), communication (26.35 percent), fresh fruit (26.02 percent), cooking oil (21.38 percent) etc.