The year on year inflation rate for the month of April 2019 has increased to 7.7 percent from 7.5 percent in March 2019.
Central Statistical Office acting Director for Census and Statistics Goodson Sinyenga attributed the increase to price changes in foods such as Cereals and meat and price movements in vehicles and other items in the transport sector.
Mr. Sinyenga said that the annual food inflation rate for the month under review has increased to 8.3 percent compared to the 8.2 percent recorded in March 2019 indicating a 0.1 percent increase.
He said Lusaka Province contributed the highest to the annual inflation contributing 2.3 percent implying that the province had price movements which contributed the highest to the 7.7 percent annual Inflation.
“This is followed by the Copperbelt province with a contribution of 1.6 percentage points while North Western province made the least contribution of 0.2 percentage points,” he said.
Mr. Sinyenga disclosed this during a presentation of the monthly bulletin on the rate of inflation in Zambia.
Meanwhile the acting director noted that national average retail prices of various foods increased between March and April 2019.
He explained that a 25kg bag of breakfast Mealie Meal increased by 8.65 percent while a 25kg bag of Roller Meal increased by 8.67 percent among other commodities.