August inflation maintains at 4.36 per cent

This as the prices of most food items continued to drop

In Summary

• In the latest figures, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased by 0.20 per cent from 108.35 in July 2020 to 108.57 in August 2020.
• The food and non-alcoholic drinks index decreased by 1.01 per cent, while the year on year food inflation increased by 5.43 per cent, in August.

CAR-BOOT VENDORS: Vendors along the Northern Bypass sell food items to motorists from the boots of their cars. Another way to survive the coronavirus
Image: /MERCY MUMO 

 

Business Reporter

The country’s year-on-year inflation in August remained at 4.36 per cent similar to July, as food prices continued to drop.

In the latest figures, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) which measures the percentage change in the price of a basket of goods and services consumed by households, increased by 0.20 per cent from 108.35 in July 2020 to 108.57 in August 2020.
The food and non-alcoholic drinks index decreased by 1.01 per cent, while the year on year food inflation increased by 5.43 per cent, in August.
“This resulted from decreases in prices of several food items outweighing the increases,” said KNBS in its monthly statement.
The prices of onions, tomatoes and spinach registered decreases of 16.38, 12.05 and 7.51 per cent, respectively in August compared to July 2020.
A kilo of onions retailed at Sh103.64 in August a drop from Sh123.95.
However, during the same period, prices of beans, mangoes and peas increased by 2.17, 5.16 and 7.42 per cent, respectively.
During the review period, the housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels’ index, went up by 1.24 per cent.
This was mainly attributed to increase in cost of electricity and kerosene by 0.52 per cent and 27.38 per cent.
The transport index increased by 2.11 per cent over the same period, mainly due to increase in the pump prices of diesel and petrol by 2.97 per cent and 3.41 per cent respectively.