Food And Transport Hike Pushes December Inflation To 5.82%

The inflation rate for the month of December 2019 rose to 5.82 percent, an increase from 5.6 percent during the month of November 2019.

According to the Kenya National Bureau Of Statistics (KNBS), the rise in the inflation rate was as a result of the increase in costs of transport as well as that of food between November and December 2019.

The total average Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose to 204.77 in December from 202.94 recorded during the month of November.

The CPI for food and non-alcoholic beverages increased by 1.46 percent in December. The CPI for transport during the same month rose by 2.10 percent.

During the month of December 2019, Kenyans paid more for vegetables such as tomatoes, spinach and sukuma wiki despite the presence of high rainfalls during the month.

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Kenyans living in urban areas were the most hit with higher prices of vegetables where a tomato rose from as low as 5 shillings to 20 shillings.

According to KNBS, the price of spinach rose by 9.1 percent, that of tomatoes by 7.78 percent, and that of kales by 5.59 percent. A kilo of spinach retailed at 43.43 shillings, that of tomatoes at 103.22 shillings while kales went for 39.40 shillings.

Kenyans also paid more for such commodities as sugar. A kilogram of sugar rose to an average of 108.48 shillings from 104.19 shillings. Prices of fruits dropped slightly. The price of a kilo of mangoes dropped by 3.44 percent while that of milk dropped by 0.67 percent.

The cost of transport rose at an average of 2.1 percent despite the fact that the price of fuel had been lowered. The cost of transport is expected to remain high as Kenyans who had traveled to their villages struggle to get back to work. Students will also be getting back to school.

The inflation for the month of January 2020 is expected to be higher than that of December 2019 given that there will be minimal to no rainfall, something that will lead to an increase in prices of foodstuffs.

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