Food prices spur inflation rate in March: NCSI

Muscat - The inflation rate in the Sultanate of Oman increased by 0.2 percent in March 2024 compared to the same month in 2023, according to data on the consumer price index of the National Center for Statistics and Information (NCSI).

The data indicated an increase in the prices of the food and non-alcoholic beverages groups by 3.4 percent, the miscellaneous personal goods and services group by 2.9 percent, the culture and entertainment group by 0.4 percent, the tobacco group by 2.4 percent, and the clothing and footwear group by 0.1 percent.

On the other hand, the prices of the transportation group decreased by 4.6 percent, the restaurants and hotels group by 0.1 percent, the furniture, fixtures and household equipment group and regular home maintenance by 0.3 percent, the communications group by 0.3 percent, and the education group by 0.4 percent, while the prices of the rest of the groups remained stable.

In the food and non-alcoholic beverages group, the prices of the fruits group increased by 0.7 percent, the milk, cheese, and eggs group increased by 3.9 percent, the sugar, jam, honey, and sweets group increased by 1.7 percent, the oils and fats group increased by 2.0 percent, the bread and cereals group 1.2 percent, the food group 3.6 percent, the vegetables group 16.2 percent, and the meat group 2.3 percent. Fish 2.8 percent.

The North Al Sharqiyah Governorate recorded the highest rate of increase in inflation at the end of March 2024 compared to the same period of the previous year, as the index rose 1.3 percent, and it also rose 1.1 percent in the Al Wusta Governorate, 1 percent in the North Al Batinah Governorate.

The rate increased by 0.8 percent in the South Al Sharqiyah Governorate, 0.6 percent in each of the South Al Batinah, Musandam, and Al Dhahirah Governorates, and 0.4 percent in each of the Buraimi and Dhofar Governorates, while the rate decreased by 0.4 percent in the Muscat Governorate and 0.3 percent in the Al Dakhiliyah Governorate.