Consumer Price Index, September 2011

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 September 2011 [i.e. comparing the average CPI for the 12 months to September 2011 with the average for the 12 months to September 2010] stands at 7.4 percent while the month – on-comparable - month inflation rate [compared with September 2010] stands at 9.7 percent.

The All Item Consumer Price Index [CPI] for the month of September, 2011 registered a decrease of 0.1 percent over August 2011 [138.5] and stands at 138.3.

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

Food: -0.3%
Lower prices were recorded for cereals, fresh and preserved fruits, mineral water, tea, milo, ovaltine, cocoa, spices, top dressing and market items such as french bean, long bean, english cabbage, chinese cabbage, imported carrot, okra, eggplant, local tomatoes, rourou, bele, pumpkin, tubua, garlic, cassava, split peas, blue peas and arhar.

Alcoholic Drinks and Tobacco: -0.2%
Lower prices were recorded for some alcoholic spirits, warm beer and cigarette.

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

Heating and Lighting: +0.0%
No price change was recorded in this section

Durable Household Goods: +0.1%
Higher prices were recorded for furniture, non-electrical appliances, crockery and jewellery.

Clothing and Footwear: +0.0%
Some price changes were recorded in this section but these changes balanced out.

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

Services: 0.0%
No price change was recorded in this section.

Miscellaneous: +0.3%
Higher prices were recorded for stationery.

If you want more detailed information on the Consumer Price Index, for September 2011, please contact the Fiji 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

For further enquiries please contact Mr Avinesh Mani on 3315822 ext 113.

Consumer Price Index for October, 2011 will be released on 31st October, 2011.