HIGHER prices were recorded for food and non-alcoholic beverages in January this year.
The Fiji Bureau of Statistics released the Consumer Price Index for January which showed there was an increase of 0.3 per cent in prices of bread and cereals, meat, fish and sea food, oils and fats, vegetables, confectionery and nonalcoholic beverages such as coffee, tea and cocoa.
Meanwhile some price changes were recorded for alcoholic beverages, tobacco and narcotics.
The bureau stated that the average annual rate of inflation for the 12 months to January 2020 stood at 1.2 per cent while the month- on- month inflation rate (compared with January 2019) stood at -1.9 per cent.
The All Items CPI for the month of January registered an increase of 0.2 per cent over December 2019 (113.6) and stands at 113.8.
The biggest jump in prices was recorded in miscellaneous goods and services whereby the bureau recorded 0.7 per cent increase in prices for hairdressing salons and personal grooming establishment and other appliances, articles and products for personal care.
Transport followed with 0.5 per cent increase in prices recorded for fuels and lubricants for personal transport equipment.
An increase of 0.4 per cent was recorded in prices for restaurants, cafes and the like and accommodation services.
Higher prices (0.1 per cent) were recorded for equipment for the reception, record and reproduction of sound and picture and cultural services.
Lower prices (-0.4 per cent) were recorded for garments, housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels recorded lower prices ( -0.1 per cent) .
Furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance recorded some price changes.
There were some price changes recorded in health division but these changes balanced out.
Some changes were recorded in communication while no price changes were recorded in education.
