Global Rice News

Short-term Inflation in Pakistan Eases to 22.32%: Official Data

In the week ending May 9, Pakistan witnessed a decline in short-term inflation, as reported by the Sensitive Price Index (SPI). Official data revealed that inflation reached 22.32%, experiencing the highest weekly fall of 1.39% since October 19, 2023. Notably, this decline can be attributed to the decrease in the prices of wheat flour, rice, and some vegetables, including onions.

The deceleration in the SPI-based inflation can be partly explained by last year’s high base. However, it is important to note that costs still increased throughout the week under review.

Let’s take a closer look at the specific items that experienced price changes during this period. Some of the products that witnessed a decline in prices on a weekly basis were onions (19.22%), chicken (18.83%), wheat flour (4%), LPG (3.67%), bananas (2.32%), garlic (1.44%), rice basmati broken (0.75%), mustard oil and sugar (0.48% each), and firewood (0.23%).

On the other hand, there were certain items that saw an increase in prices compared to the previous week. These included tomatoes (19.24%), eggs (4.73%), potatoes (4.38%), pulse gram (0.91%), 5-litre cooking oil (0.89%), beef (0.64%), vegetable ghee 2.5 kg (0.44%), and fresh milk (0.41%).

When considering the annual figures, it is evident that some items experienced significant price increases. These include gas charges for Q1 (570%), onions (118.58%), tomatoes (101.24%), garlic (72.38%), chillies powder (71.96%), salt powder (32.59%), energy saver (29.83%), shirting (29.71%), gents sandal (25.01%), pulse mash (23.70%), beef (23.30%), and tea prepared (20.08%).

In contrast, certain items witnessed notable price drops on an annual basis. For instance, the prices of bananas decreased by 38.79%. Additionally, wheat flour saw a decline of 28.21%, chicken dropped by 20.27%, cooking oil (5-litre) decreased by 19.74%, and vegetable ghee (2.5 kg) declined by 16.73%. Other items that saw price reductions include vegetable ghee (1 kg) by 16.67%, mustard oil by 13.11%, LPG by 10.52%, eggs by 7.91%, and diesel by 2.04%.

These fluctuations in prices reflect the changing dynamics of the market, influenced by various factors such as supply and demand, import costs, and production levels. It is important for consumers and businesses to stay updated on these developments to make informed decisions.

For more information on the rice industry in Pakistan, visit [rice exporters](https://www.hasrice.com).

**Source:** [Dawn](https://www.dawn.com){:target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow”}