A basket of good demanded in Uganda’s households
HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I Ugandans should bless themselves for leaner economic times, as inflations for essential goods starts to rise, the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) has advised.
The statistics body reported that the Annual Inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index for Uganda for the 12 months to April 2024 increased at a slower rate of 3.2 percent compared to 3.3 percent registered in the year ended March 2024
“This is largely attributed to the Annual Core inflation that registered 3.5 percent in the year ending April 2024 compared to 3.4 percent registered in the year ended March 2024. The main driver to Annual Core Inflation was the Annual Other Goods Inflation that increased to 2.0 percent in the year ending April 2024 compared to 1.6 percent recorded in the year ended March 2024,” it said in the recently issued report
It attributed this shift to the Fish and other seafood inflation that increased to 16.5 percent in April 2024 compared to 10.1 percent in March 2024. Specifically, Dried Kapenta (Mukene) prices increased by 28.8 percent in April 2024 compared to 6.9 percent in March 2024 and Fresh Tilapia prices increased by 15.6 percent in April 2024 compared to 5.8 percent recorded in March 2024.
Refined oil prices registered minus 8.6 percent in April 2024 compared to minus 14.1 percent recorded in March 2024 and Local chicken prices increased by 3.6 percent in April 2024 compared to 0.3 percent recorded in March 2024. Additionally, Annual Services Inflation increased at a slower rate of 5.4 percent in the year ending April 2024 compared to 5.5 percent registered in the year ended March 2024.
“This was mainly due to the increase in the prices of Domestic flights by 14.5 percent in the year ending April 2024 compared to 5.5 percent registered in the year ended March 2024. Hotel and Lodging Accommodation Services Inflation increased to 7.6 percent in the year ending April 2024 compared to 1.9 percent registered in the year ended March 2024.”
UBOS added that the annual Energy Fuel and Utilities (EFU) Inflation increased to 7.9 percent in the year ending April 2024 compared to 7.6 percent registered in the year ended March 2024.
“This was due to the increase in Electricity charges by 1.4 percent in April 2024 compared to minus 1.0 percent in March 2024, Petrol prices increased by 6.9 percent in the year ending April 2024 compared to 5.4 percent in the year ended March 2024 and Charcoal prices increased by 18.8 percent in the year ending April 2024 compared to 17.7 percent in the year ended March 2024.
Annual Food Crops and Related Items Inflation decreased to minus 2.4 percent in the year ending April 2024 compared to minus 0.4 percent registered in the year ended March 2024.
This was mainly attributed to the decrease in prices of Cooking Bananas by minus 11.7 percent in the year ending April 2024 compared to 8.2 percent registered in March 2024. Dry Beans prices decreased by minus 8.5 percent in the year ending April 2024 compared to minus 3.4 percent registered in March 2024.
“Sweet Potatoes prices decreased by minus 19.9 percent in the year ending April 2024 compared to minus 12.0 percent registered in March 2024.”
According to the Classification of Individual Consumption Purpose (COICOP), the main drivers to the registered inflation were ‘Clothing and Footwear’ inflation that increased to 3.8 percent in the year ending April 2024 compared to 3.1 percent recorded in the year ended March 2024.
‘Restaurants and Accommodation Services’ inflation increased to 5.2 percent in the year ending April 2024 compared to 4.7 percent registered in the year ended March 2024.
‘Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels’ inflation increased to 4.8 percent in the year ending April 2024 compared to 4.5 percent registered in the year ended March 2024. ‘Health’ inflation increased to 7.2 percent for the year ending April 2024 compared to 6.7 percent registered for the year ended March 2024.
‘Recreation, Sport and Culture’ inflation increased to 5.4 percent in the year ending April 2024 compared to 5.0 percent registered in the year ended March 2024. ‘Alcoholic Beverages, Tobacco and Narcotics’ inflation increased to 3.7 percent for the year ending April 2024 compared to 3.5 percent registered for the year ended March 2024. ‘Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household’ inflation increased to 2.9 percent in the year ending April 2024 compared to 2.8 percent registered in the year ended March 2024.
‘Education Services’ inflation registered 11.1 percent in the year ending April 2024 the same rate registered in the year ended March 2024. The Information and communication’ inflation was registered at 1.5 percent in the year ending April 2024 compared to 1.8 percent recorded for the year ended March 2024. ‘Transport’ inflation slowed down to 2.9 percent in the year ending April 2024 compared to 3.1 percent registered in the year ended March 2024.
‘Personal Care, Social Protection and Miscellaneous Goods’ inflation slowed down to 5.3 percent in the year ending April 2024 compared to 5.9 percent registered in the year ended March 2024. ‘Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages’ inflation decreased to minus 0.8 percent in the year ending April 2024 compared to minus 0.5 percent registered in the year ended March 2024.
Monthly Headline Inflation
The Monthly Headline Inflation for April 2024 increased by 0.4 percent from the 0.5 percent rise registered for the month of March 2024.
UBOS says the main driver was the monthly Food Crops and Related Items Inflation that increased by 2.0 percent in April 2024 from the 2.3 percent rise recorded in March 2024. This was mainly due to monthly Vegetables, Tubers, Plantains, Cooking Bananas and Pulses Inflation that increased by 1.8 percent in April 2024 from the 0.5 percent rise recorded in March 2024.
Specifically, Irish potatoes prices increased by 24.5 percent in April 2024 from the 4.6 percent rise recorded in March 2024 and Onions prices increased by 19.8 percent in April 2024 from the 16.2 percent rise recorded in March 2024.
In addition, Pineapple prices increased by 27.3 percent in April 2024 from the 0.6 percent rise recorded in March 2024 and monthly Mango prices increased by 6.7 percent in April 2024 from the 21.2 percent rise recorded in March 2024.
In addition, Core Inflation increased by 0.2 percent in April 2024 from the 0.4 percent rise registered in March 2024. The main driver for the rise in Core Inflation was monthly Services Inflation that recorded a 0.3 percent rise in April 2024 from the 0.7 percent rise recorded in March 2024.
Additionally, monthly Other Goods Inflation registered an increase of 0.2 percent in April 2024 from the 0.1 percent rise recorded in March 2024
