ISLAMABAD: The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI)-based inflation for the week ended April 19, 2023, increased by 0.51 per cent due to an increase in the prices of food items including potatoes (3.79 per cent), tea Lipton (3.61 per cent), gur (3.40 per cent), bread (2.48 per cent), chicken (two per cent), bananas (1.68 per cent), rice basmati broken (1.54 per cent) and non-food items including LPG (4.75 per cent) and petrol (3.67 per cent), says the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

The year-on-year trend depicts an increase of 47.23 per cent mainly due to an increase in the prices of cigarettes (151.45 per cent), wheat flour (143.88 per cent), gas charges for q1 (108.38 per cent), tea Lipton (104.28 per cent), diesel (102.84 per cent), potatoes (98.74 per cent), bananas (98.42 per cent), eggs (97.80 per cent), petrol (87.81 per cent), rice basmati broken (87.30 per cent), rice irri-6/9 (83.52 per cent), moong (68.94 per cent), bread (59.22 per cent), and maash (58.35 per cent), while a decrease is observed in the prices of tomatoes (8.65 per cent) and chilies powdered (6.48 per cent).

The SPI for the week under review was recorded at 251.83 points against 250.56 points registered in the previous week, according to the latest PBS data released on Thursday. During the week, out of 51 items, prices of 29 (56.86 per cent) items increased, 08 (15.69per cent) items decreased and 14 (27.45 per cent) items remained stable.

The SPI for the consumption group up to Rs17,732, Rs17,732-22,888, Rs22,889-29,517, Rs29,518-44,175 and above Rs44,175 consumption group increased by 0.25 per cent, 0.34 per cent, 0.30 per cent, 0.37 per cent, and 0.63 per cent respectively.

The items, which recorded an increase in their average prices during the week over previous include LPG (4.75 per cent), potatoes (3.79 per cent), petrol super (3.67 per cent), tea Lipton Yellow Label (3.61 per cent), gur (3.40 per cent), match box (2.51 per cent), bread plain (2.48 per cent), chicken (two per cent), bananas (1.68 per cent), rice basmati broken (1.54 per cent), toilet soap Lifebuoy (1.44 per cent), rice irri-6/9 (1.22 per cent), eggs (0.85 per cent), Georgette (0.77 per cent), cooked daal (0.66 per cent), maash (0.63 per cent), masoor (0.59 per cent), lawn printed Gul Ahmed/Al Karam(0.56 per cent), shirting (0.46 per cent), curd (0.39 per cent), moong (0.38 per cent), cooked beef (0.36 per cent), milk fresh (0.31 per cent), tea prepared (0.23 per cent), mutton (0.20 per cent), beef with bone (0.17 per cent), salt powdered (0.10 per cent), Sufi washing soap (0.09 per cent), and powdered milk Nido(0.03 per cent).

The commodities, which recorded a decrease in their average prices tomatoes (13.11 per cent), onions (4.62 per cent), garlic (3.59 per cent), sugar (1.52 per cent), wheat flour bag 20 kg (0.93 per cent), mustard oil (0.56 per cent), cigarettes Capstan (0.26 per cent), and pulse gram (0.22 per cent).

The commodities, prices of which, remained unchanged included cooking oil Dalda or other similar brand (sn), 5 litre tin each, vegetable ghee Dalda/Habib 2.5kg tin each, vegetable ghee Dalda/Habib or other superior quality 1kg pouch each, chilies powder National, long cloth 57” Gul Ahmed/Al Karam, gents sandal Bata pair, gents sponge chappal Bata pair, ladies sandal Bata pair, electricity charges for q1 per unit, gas charges, firewood whole 40kg, energy saver, hi-speed diesel, and telephone call charges.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023