CPI up by 0.4 points to reach 127.8 in Q2 2011 in Mauritius

The Central Statistics Office (CSO) published the consumer price index (CPI) for the second quarter of 2011. The CPI, which stood at 127.4 points in March, registered an increase of 0.4 points to reach 127.8 in June 2011. On a monthly basis, CPI increased by 0.2 per cent in April, remained constant in May and increased by 0.2 per cent in June.

The main reasons for the net increase in CPI are higher prices of food, in particular meat, milk and other products, higher prices of ready made clothing and rise in the rate of interest of housing loans. This was offset by lower prices of vegetables, fruits and rice. The continued fall in the price of gasoline at the end of March also partly offset the upward trend in prices.
The CSO figures also compared prices in consumption expenditure during the second quarter of 2011. It showed that prices of food and alcoholic beverages increased by 0.1 per cent.

This was triggered by the increasing prices of meat and milk, which were partly offset by lower prices of vegetables and rice.

Prices of vegetables, fruits and rice respectively fell by 2.6, 5.1 and 2 per cent. Inflation rate for the financial year 2010-2011 is at 5.1 per cent in relation to 2009-10 when it stood at 1.7 per cent.