Inflation increases: During the second week of Ramadan, the country’s inflation rate rose by 0.22 percent, making 12 necessities more costly. For example, the price of tomatoes went up by Rs 22 and the price of sugar by Rs 9 per kilogram.
The Bureau of Statistics reports that although the annual inflation rate was negative 1.97 percent, inflation rose by 0.22 percent in the week ending March 13. The average price of tomatoes was Rs 80 last week, with a 22 rupee increase per kilogram. The average price of live chicken was Rs 510, with a 31 rupee increase. The cost of sugar also went up, with an average price of Rs 172 per kilogram. The cost of an LPG residential cylinder increased by Rs 46. A cylinder cost, on average, Rs 3262. While the prices of 24 basic commodities stayed the same over the past week, 15 of them saw price reductions. The cost of garlic dropped by Rs 36 per kg, potatoes by Rs 5, and onions by Rs 14 per kg to Rs 70. Dal mash was reduced by Rs 2 per kg and gram gram by Rs 6.