BELIZE CITY, Tues. Oct. 16, 2012
The Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB) has released inflation rates for September 2012, indicating that, “At the end of September 2012, the average national year-to-date inflation rate was 1.5%, down from 1.7% the previous month.”
Health, recreation and culture, and miscellaneous goods and services continue to drive the upward trend, with increases of 6.8%, 5% and 4.1%, respectively.
Food and non-alcoholic beverages saw a slight overall price increase of 0.8%; however, meat prices have spiked by 3.8% and poultry prices by 9.5%.
“Nationally, the average price for a pound of whole chicken went up 9.5% from $2.53 to $2.77,” said the SIB report. “This was as a direct result of higher feed grain prices, as drought conditions in the Midwestern and Western United States have led to global grain shortages.”
Gas prices increased as much as poultry prices: 9.5% overall, with the price of premium gasoline leading with a 13% increase.
Reporting on the September data, the SIB said that, “In Belize City, for example, the average price of a gallon of premium gasoline jumped from $11.48 to $12.97, while the average price of a gallon of regular gasoline rose from $11.05 to $11.95.”
Again, Orange Walk has recorded the highest inflation rate, 2.1% this month as compared to 2.8% last month. The overall inflation rate in Belmopan has again dipped, this time by 0.8% as compared to 0.6% last month.
The SIB said, “There was virtually no change in the price level in Belize City and Punta Gorda Town…”