• Annual Food inflation decreased to 14.1 from 15.3% in March 2022.
• April 2022 overall monthly inflation was recorded at 0.7% from 0.8% recorded in March 2022.
• Zambia recorded a Trade Surplus of K5.98 billion for the month of March 2022

Zambia Statistics Agency (ZAMSTATS) has disclosed that Annual inflation for April, 2022 has decreased to 11.5% from 13.1% recorded in March 2022.

ZAMSTATS Interim Statistician General Mulenga Musepa speaking during a Monthly bulletin dissemination briefing said Annual Food inflation decreased to 14.1 from 15.3% in March 2022 in food items such as Meat Vegetables Eggs, Butter and Peanut butter.

Mr. Musepa noted Annual Non-food inflation decreased to 8.2% from 10.3% in March 2022 attributed to price movements of non-food items such as Purchase of vehicles, Glassware, tableware and household utensils, Kettle non electrical, cooking pot, cement, charcoal, iron sheets and paint.

He added that April 2022 overall monthly inflation has been recorded at 0.7% from 0.8% recorded in March 2022.

“Monthly food inflation increased to 1.1% from 0.9% in March 2022 due to price increases in Fruits (Oranges, apples, Avocadoes, Pawpaw, Groundnuts); Vegetables (Rape, Pumpkin leaves, Sweet potato leaves, Cabbage, tomatoes); Cooking oil, and; Sugar,” Mr. Musepa said.

“Monthly non-food inflation decreased to 0.1% from 0.6% in March, 2022, mainly due to price decreases in Footwear (Men’s leather shoes. Sports shoes, Ladies leather shoes, Tropicals), Purchase of vehicles (Toyota hilux, Toyota corolla, Nissan Almera, Nissan Pick hardbody.”

Mr. Musepa further revealed Zambia recorded a Trade Surplus of K5.98 billion for the month of March 2022 indicating a 0.1% decrease from the February 2022 surplus of K6.0 billion.

He explained that Exports increased by 9.2% to K18.7 billion in March 2022 from K17.1 billion in February 2022 and Imports increased by 14.1% to K12.1 billion during the period under review from K11.1 billion.

“The increase in exports was mainly on account of a 10.1 and 21.1 percent increase in export earnings from Intermediate goods and Raw materials, respectively,” he said.