August inflation stagnates at 3.3 percent, NBS reveals

Dar es Salaam. Annual headline inflation rate for August, 2020 stagnated at 3.3 percent as it was recorded in the preceding month, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), announced yesterday.

Bureau’s Population Census and Social Statistics acting director Ruth Minja said the trend suggested that the speed of price change for commodities for the year ended August, 2020 has remained constant as that recorded during the month before.

However, fees for primary and secondary private schools climbed by 2.4 percent during the period under review.

“The stagnation of the annual headline inflation rate is attributed to increase and decrease in prices for some products,” said Ms Minja.

With a percentage increase in brackets, she cited some foods, whose prices went up as cassava (16.3), sweet potatoes (11.9), maize (5.8) and wheat flour (1.1).

Some non-food products whose prices shot up, include guest house accommodation services (2.8 percent), primary and secondary private schools fees (2.4 percent) and clothing (2.2 percent).

Food and non-alcoholic beverages inflation rate for August decreased to 3.7 percent from 3.8 percent that was recorded in July.

During the period, the annual inflation rate for food consumed at home and away from home decreased to 4.8 percent from 4.9 percent.

The annual inflation rate which excludes food and energy decreased to 2.5 percent from 2.6 percent.

Meanwhile, the 12-month index change for non-food products also decreased to 3.1 percent in August, from 3.2 percent recorded in the month before.

The overall index went up to 119.87 in August, 2020 from 116.01 recorded in August, 2019.