Food prices, including sugar and coffee, continue to rise

The prices of food products, including sugar and coffee, continued to rise in the Maldivian capital in November compared to the same period last year, according to the latest essential commodities price index released by the Maldives Bureau of Statistics.

According to the ECPI report for November, while the month-on-month inflation rate on essential commodities decline by 0.69 percent, the year-on-year inflation rate increased by 0.73 percent.

This follows a year-on-year inflation rate increase of 2.6 percent recorded in October.

While the month-on-month food prices declined by 1.11 percent in November, it marked an increase of 0.06 percent compared to the same period last year.

Meanwhile, beverage prices show a month-on-month increase of 0.55 percent, and a year-on-year increase of 2.91 percent.

The price of personal care products also shows an increase, with a month-on-month increase of 0.54 percent and a year-on-year increase of 3.33 percent.

Products that show a rise in prices include sugar, jam, chocolate and confectionery. The prices of this product group show a month-on-month increase of 0.63 percent and a year-on-year increase of 3.84 percent.

Looking at beverage prices, the price of coffee and coffee substitutes rose by 0.97 percent compared to the previous month, and by 8.97 percent compared to the same period last year.

Meanwhile, the price of fruit and vegetable juices increased by 5.10 percent compared to last year.

ECPI, a sub-index of the Consumer Price Index (CPI), is a weighted average price index of a basket of 96 essential commodities, such as food, beverages, fuel and personal care products.