Consumer Price Index, June 2010

Press Release No: 41

Date: 2 July 2010

The Consumer Price Index, which covers price changes in urban areas [Suva, Lami, Nausori, Lautoka, Nadi, Ba and Labasa], has weights derived from the Household, Income and Expenditure Survey of 2002/2003.

There have been two measures of inflation used in Fiji. One compares the average CPI over the past twelve months with the average CPI over the previous twelve months. The other, which is the one used in most countries, compares the CPI in the current month with the CPI in the comparable month of the previous year [ie. 12 months previously].

The average annual rate of inflation for the twelve months to June 2010 [i.e. comparing the average CPI for the 12 months to June 2010 with the average for the 12 months to June 2009] stands at 6.8 percent while the month – on-comparable - month inflation rate [compared with June 2009] stands at 5.5 percent.br>
The All Item Consumer Price Index [CPI] for the month of June, 2010 registered a decrease of 0.7 percent over May 2010 [126.5] and stands at 125.6

Items that are deriving the sectional changes over the previous month are as follows:

Food: -0.4%
Lower prices were recorded for preserved meat, fresh fish, mineral water, dairy products, fats and oils, confectionery and market items such as English cabbage, Chinese cabbage, imported carrot, long green chilly, local tomato, cucumber, tubua, garlic, dalo and cassava.

Alcoholic Drinks and Tobacco: +0.1%
Higher prices were recorded for some alcoholic spirits, warm beer and cigarettes.

Housing: 0.0%
Some price changes were recorded in this section but these changes balanced out.

Heating and Lighting: -7.1%
Lower price was recorded for electricity.

Durable Household Goods: -0.5%
Lower prices were recorded for non-electrical appliances and jewellery.

Clothing and Footwear: +0.4%
Higher prices were recorded for men’s, women’s and children’s wear and men’s and children’s footwear.

Transport: -0.7%
Lower prices were recorded for petrol and diesel.

Services: 0.0%
No change was recorded in this section

Miscellaneous: +0.7%
Higher prices were recorded for stationery, medical goods, toiletries and other household items.

If you want more detailed information on the Consumer Price Index, for June 2010, please contact the Fiji Islands Bureau of Statistics at:

P.O.Box 2221
Government Buildings
Suva, FIJI
Tel: (679) 331 5822
Fax: (679) 330 3656

OR

On email: info@statsfiji.gov.fj

OR

contact Mr Peni Waqawai on Ph: 3315822 ext. 178.

The Consumer Price Index for July 2010 will be released on 30 July 2010.