By JUDITH NAMUTOWE –

ZAMBIA’s annual inflation has risen by 0.2 per cent to 8.1 in November this year, compared to 7.9 per cent recorded last month.

Trade surplus has slowed down to K67 million from K99.1 million during the review period.

Central Statistics Office (CSO) director John Kalumbi said the annual rate of inflation, as measured by the all items Consumer Price Index (CPI) had risen due to increase in fish and vegetable products.

“Of the total 8.1 per cent annual inflation rate recorded in November 2014, food and non- alcoholic beverage products accounted for 3.8 percentage points, while non-food products accounted for 4.3 percentage points,” Mr Kalumbi said.

Mr Kalumbi said the total monthly inflation rate recorded in November increased to 0.4 per cent as compared to 0.1 per cent recorded in October.

In terms of comparison of retail prices between October and November 2014, showed that the national average price of a 25 Kilogramme (KG) bag of Breakfast mealie meal decreased by 1.1 per cent from K70.93 to K70.13.

The price of a K25 kg bag of Roller meal also decreased by 1.2 per cent from K50.01 to K49.41 with the average price of a 20 liter tin of maize grain increasing by 1.9 per cent from K25.88 to K26.38.

In terms of provincial contributions, Mr Kalumbi said that Lusaka had the highest contribution at 2.6 percentage points to the overall annual rate of inflation rate of 8.1 per cent in November.

Copperbelt Province had the second highest contribution of 1.5 percentage points while North Western had the lowest contribution at 0.3 per cent.

The country recorded a trade surplus valued at K67 million in October 2014, indicating a reduction from K99.1 million recorded in September 2014.

Mr Kalumbi said this means that the country exported more in October 2014 than it imported in October 2014.

Zambia’s major export product in October were from the intermediate goods category comprising copper cathodes and sections of refined copper which accounted for 83.8 per cent.

Mr Kalumbi said other exports were from the consumer goods, capital goods and raw materials, which collectively accounted for 16.2 per cent of the total exports in October.