By JUDITH NAMUTOWE –
ZAMBIA’ annual rate of inflation for April 2017 has remained static at 6.7 per cent as that recorded the previous month.
This means that on average, prices increased by 6.7 per cent between April 2016 and April 2017.
Central Statistical Office (CSO) director John Kalumbi said during the media briefing that the year-on-year inflation rate as measured by the all items Consumer Price Index (CPI) for April 2017 remained the same.
“Of the total 6.7 per cent annual inflation rate recorded in April 2017, food and non non-food beverages accounted for 3.3 percentage points, while non-food items accounted for 3.4 percentage points, “ Mr Kalumbi said
He said the annual food inflation rate for April 2017 was recorded at 1.6 per cent compared to the 6.7 per cent recorded in March 2017, while the annual non-food inflation rate for April was recorded at 7.5 per cent, from the 6.6 per cent recorded in March 2017 indicating an increase of 0.9 percentage points.
Mr Kalumbi said the decrease of 0.6 percentage points in the annual food inflation rate was mainly attributed to price changes for cereals, while the increase in the annual non-food inflation was mainly attributed to price changes for purchase of motor vehicle.
