CPI declines by 1.04pc in Feb 2020 on yearly basis

The statistics in the report were presented to Prime Minister Imran Khan.

KARACHI (Dunya News) – The Consumer Price Inflation (CPI) of Pakistan reduced by 1.04 percent in the month of February, 2020, as compared to the CPI of the same month last year, according to a report issued by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

The statistics in the report that was presented to Prime Minister Imran Khan remarked inflation rate at 12.4 percent in Feb. 2020.

The CPI on new base (2015-16) comprises of urban CPI and Rural CPI. The Urban CPI covers 35 cities and 356 consumer items. The Rural CPI covers 27 Rural Centers and 244 consumer items, the report stated.

In the new base year (2015-16) National CPI for 12 major groups is also computed by taking weighted average of Urban CPI and Rural CPI, it read.

MONTHLY ANALYSIS

On a monthly basis, the CPI National with base year (2015-16) for the month of February, 2020 decreased by 1.04% over January 2020. The Urban CPI with base year (2015-16) recorded a decreased of 1.09% while Rural CPI with base year (2015-16) recorded a decrease of 0.97%. (Details are in the Monthly Review). CPI with old base year (2007-08) recorded a decrease of 0.29%

Prices of food items such as pulses, fresh vegetables and wheat, which have been the main top drivers of inflation, saw a downward trend on the monthly basis, the bureau said.

Top few commodities which varied from previous month i.e. January, 2020 are given below:

URBAN

Increased: Vegetable ghee(13.15%), Cooking oil(10.27%), Sugar(8.45%), Mustard oil(4.25%), Fresh fruits(4.16%), Beans(3.89%), Butter(3.61%), Carpets(3.28%), Chicken (2.35%), Pulse moong (2.27%), Solid Fuel(1.19%) and Pulse mash(1.14%).

Decreased: Tomatoes(60.27%), Eggs (26.36%), Liquefied Hydrocarbons(13.53%), electricity charges(13.48%).Potatoes(12.91%), Fresh vegetables(11.48%), Onions(8.79%), Wheat flour (5.29%), Wheat(3.52%), Pulse gram(2.34%), and Besan(2.33%).

RURAL

Increased: Sugar(8%), Vegetable ghee(6.23%), Condiments and Spices(5.99%), Chicken(5.76%), Pulse Mash(5.13%), Pulse Masoor(4.27%), Pulse Moong(3.94%), Fresh fruits(3.56%), Beans(2.99%), Cooking oil(2.54%) Cleaning and Laundering (2.22%), Solid Fuel(1.64%), Mustard oil(1.63%) and Cotton Cloth(1.3%).

Decreased: Tomatoes(57.55%), Eggs(20.16%), Potatoes(15.43%), Fresh Vegetables(13.94%), Electricity Charges(13.48%), Onions(11.39%), Liquefied Hydrocarbons(6.70%), Gur(5.54%), Wheat Flour(3.57%), Pulse Gram(1.48%) and Fish(0.98%)

YEARLY ANALYSIS

The CPI National for February, 2020, increased by 12.40pc as compared to the same month last 2019. The Urban CPI with base year (2015-16) recorded an increase of 11.21pc while Rural CPI with base year (2015-16) recorded an increase of 14.22%. (Details are in the Monthly Review). CPI with old base year (2007-08) recorded an increase of 12.03%.

Top few commodities which varied from previous year i.e. February 2019 are given below:

URBAN

Increased: Onions(102.75%), Pulse moong (83.59%), Potatoes(83.24%), Fresh vegetables(61.89%), Gas charges(54.84%), Pulse mash(51.05%), Butter(43.33%), Sugar(36.9%), Vegetable ghee(33.57%), Gur(33.38%), Wheat(29.96%), Cooking oil(26.89%), Motor fuel(26.82%), Pulse gram(24%), Beans(23.68%), Pulse masoor(21.57%), Cigarettes (21.39%), Drugs and medicines(18.82%), Construction input items(17.86%), Wheat flour (17.36%), Liquified Hydrocarbons(16.23%) Mustard oil(15.49%), Woolen cloth(14.74%), Chicken (14.52%), Meat(13.28%), Tea(9.66%), Fish(9.4%) and Rice(8.47%).

Decreased: Tomatoes(61.04%) and Eggs (10.30%) and Electricity charges (4.09%).

RURAL

Increased: Potatoes(107.71%), Onions(95.50%), Pulse Moong(90.26%), Fresh Vegetables(69.89%), Pulse Mash(47.20%), Gur(35.77%), Sugar(35.19%), Condiments and Spices(34.64%), Wheat(33.7%), Vegetable ghee(32.44%), Cooking oil(31.03%), Water Supply(30.55%), Masoor(27.7%), Motor Fuels(27.37%), Pulse Beans(24.57%), Pulse Gram(24.49%), Chicken(21.29%), Wheat Flour(20.71%), Cigarettes(19.84%), Besan(19.53%), Drugs and Medicines(15.31%), Solid Fuel(12.94%) Liquified Hydrocarbons(12.67%). Dry fruit (10.50%), Fresh fruits(10.37%) and Tea(9.91%).

Decreased: Tomatoes (45.26%) and Eggs (5.33%) and Electricity Charges(4.09%).

AVERAGE INFLATION RATE

The CPI National for the period July-February (2019-20) increased by 11.70% over July-February (2018-19). The Urban CPI with base year (2015-16) recorded an increase of 11.32% while Rural CPI with base year (2015-16) recorded an increase of 12.31%. (Details are in the Monthly Review). The CPI with old base year (2007-08) recorded an increase of 11.93%.

Top few commodities which varied from previous period average i.e. Jul-Feb, 2018-19 are given below:

URBAN

Increased: Peas (133.42%), Onions (108.85%), Garlic (107.47%), Gas charges (75.00%), Pulse Moong (58.66%), Potatoes (51.25%), Tomatoes (40.06%), Sugar (32.08%) and Wheat (18.48%)

Decreased: Gram Whole (6.04%), Lemon (4.88%), Cement (3.80%) and LPG (0.9%). RURAL: Increased: Peas (125.71%), Onions (111.90%), Garlic (102.38%), Cauliflower (61.25%), Pulse Moong (53.69%), Tomatoes (45.95%), Sugar (33.35%), CNG (23.52%) and Petrol (22.30%) Decreased: Lemon (7.85%), Gram Whole (3.08%) and Cement (2.86%).