Inflation Rate For June Falls To 4.59% According To KNBS

How much did you spend on food during the month of June? Was it lower than what you used during the month of May? Kenya National Bureau of Statistics says the prices of food were lower during the month of June. Do you agree with them?

According to KNBS, the inflation rate for the month of June dropped from 5.33 percent to 4.59 percent due to the low pricing of common goods during the month.

“This resulted from observed price decreases outweighing increases. For instance, prices of tomatoes, Irish potatoes, cabbages, oranges, and wheat flour decreased by 12.16, 5.05, 4.84, and 4 percent, respectively in June 2020 relative to the prices in May 2020,” KNBS noted.

KNBS is right about the price of tomatoes. A cross-check by Soko Directory team across various markets in Nairobi showed a drop in the prices of tomatoes as compared to the previous months. The price of onions, however, has increased given the tension between Kenya and Tanzania.

The food and non-alcoholic drinks index dropped by 1.27 percent, a higher decrease from the 0.24 percent fall registered during the month of May. The annual food inflation rate, according to KNBS improved by 8.15 percent.

The housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels index dropped by 0.81 percent supported in large part by lower kerosene costs which decreased 21.33 shillings during the mid-month review.

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Prices of goods

According to KNBS, the price of onions increased by 23.2 percent, that of Sukuma Wiki by 22.5 percent, and that of sifted maize flour by 11.5 percent.

The price of cabbages dropped by 18.6 percent, potatoes by 15.6 percent, and spinach by 8.4 percent. Overall, the prices of food were in the red by 8.1 percent.

The bus/matatu fares rose by 50.6 percent during the month. Cooking gas, on the other hand, went up by 1.5 percent. The price of kerosene, diesel, and petrol dropped by 39.5, 28.3, and 22.2 percent respectively.

in what most Kenyans might dispute, KNBS says the cost of electricity dropped by 4.3 percent during the month of June.

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