• Rise in prices of Fish, Fruits, Cooking Oil, Fuel, Lubricants, Charcoal and Garments.
• As long as you say ‘inflation’ it means prices are still going up.
• Total trade in June 2022 decreased by 9.2% to K30.3 billion compared

Zambia Statistics Agency (ZAMSTATS) has disclosed that July 2022 Annual inflation rate edged upwards 9.9% from 9.7 percent recorded in June 2022.

ZamStats Interim Statistician General Mulenga Musepa during a Monthly Bulletin Dissemination Meeting in Lusaka said the increase is attributed to rise in prices of Fish, Fruits, Cooking Oil, Fuel, Lubricants, Charcoal and Garments.

Mr. Musepa explained that Annual food inflation rose to 12 % from 11.9 % in June 2022 while Annual Non-food inflation to 7.2% from 6.9% in June 2022.

He added that Monthly inflation for July has recorded an increase to 0.4 percent on Bread, cereals, Vegetables, Passenger Transport by road and Paraffin Purchases.

“The 9.9 percent simply means that on an annual basis in general terms the general level of prices increased by 9.9 percent,” he emphasized.

“As long as you say ‘inflation’ it means prices are still going up except that we are comparing what was inflation like the current period we are comparing to previously and the current period 12 months ago so you will see a change and that is what we call a slow down,” he added.

Last year the same time, ZAMSTATS Figures show Annual inflation rate stood at 24.6 percent on items such as dried Kapenta, Cooking oil ,vegetables, clothing, footwear Miscellaneous goods and services.

However monthly inflation in July 2021 stood at 0.3 Percent on items such as roller meal, maize grain, fish, vegetables, Clothing, footwear, furnishing , furnishing, Household equipment, routine maintenance of the house and Miscellaneous goods and services.

Meanwhile, Mr. Musepa revealed that Total trade in June 2022 decreased by 9.2% to K30.3 billion compared to K31.2 billion in May 2022.

He added that a Trade Surplus of K2.2 billion was recorded in June 2022 indicating a 36. % decrease from a surplus of K3.4billion explaining the reduction in the Trade Surplus was driven by a decrease in exports.

He indicated that imports increased by 0.9% to K14.1 billion in June 2022 from K13.9 billion in May 2022 while Exports decreased by 6.3% to K16.2 billion in June 2022 from K17.3 billion in May 2022.