The headline inflation rose by 4.12 percent during July 2016 compared to the same period of last fiscal year after increase in prices of essential commodities as well as education, utilities and others. Pakistan Bureau of Statistics on Monday released during a press briefing the Consumer Prime Index (CPI) inflation data and acknowledged that there was significant increase in the prices of vegetables as well as in the cost of electricity and gas etc during July 2016 over previous month of June 2016 as well as July 2015.
An increase of 1.43 percent in dearness in the country was also noted in July 2015 over previous month of June 2016 and prices in wholesale market increased by 2.34 percent. An increase of 14.07 percent was noted in the prices of perishable food items and 2.15 percent in non perishable food items. An increase of 3.02 percent was noted in food & non-alcoholic beverages, 3.92 non-perishable food items 17.74 percent in alcoholic beverages & tobacco, 4.59 in clothing & footwear.
The cost of housing, water, electric, Gas & other fuels increased by 5.07, furnishing & household equipment maintenance 3.83 percent, health 4.99 percent, communication 0.41, and recreation & culture 1.37 percent. The cost of education soared by 7.14 percent, restaurant & hotel 5.88 percent. However, a decline of 4.95 percent was reported in cost of transport.
The commodities, which showed increase in their prices year-on-year basis in July 2016 over July 2015 were tomatoes 58.41 percent, gram whole yellow 56.10 percent, pulse mash 47.13 percent, pulse gram 45.81 percent, gram whole black 42.27 percent, besan 42.19 percent, fresh vegetables 36.84 percent, potatoes 32.10 percent, cigarettes 19.22 percent, tea 15.52 percent, gas 9.92 percent and house rent 6.11 percent.
The prices of tomatoes registered an increase of 98.22 percent in July 2016 over previous month March 2016, bottle gourd 78.10 percent, lady finger 70.33 percent, karaila 53 percent, turai 52.01 percent, tinda 26.50 percent, garlic 23.73 percent, brinjal 23.50 percent, potatoes 17.45 percent, gram whole yellow 13.03 percent, eggs 8.89 percent, besan 5.87 percent, pulse gram 5.63 percent, sugar 3.60 percent and house rent 1.74 percent.
The price of ginger witnessed a decline of 38.43 percent, onions 23.34 percent, chicken 18.91 percent, petrol 16.89 percent, diesel 16.28 percent, lemon 14.34 percent, gas cylinder 14.14 percent, kerosene oil 12.95 percent, rice basmati 12.52 percent as well as cooking oil (9.25 percent) during July 2016 over same month of last fiscal year. During July 2016 over June 2016, the price of lemon decreased by 21.44 percent, Aloo Bukhara 14.81 percent, arvi 12.27 percent, bananas 8.09 percent, chicken farm 4.51 percent, mango kalmi 4.49 percent, gas cylinder 1.16 percent, pulse moong 0.93 percent and ginger0.93 percent and pulse mash 0.88 percent.