National
Bureau of Statistics
SEPTEMBER 2002 INFLATION RATE STAGNATES
Inflation rate for September 2002 has remained the same as was for August 2002. According to the National Consumer Price Index (NCPI), Inflation rate for September 2002, is 4.4 percent in relation to the figures for September the previous year. The September inflation rate has remained stagnant when compared with August 2002 inflation figure, which was 4.4 percent, as measured on a year-to-year basis. However, as measured on a month-to-month basis, that is between August 2002 and September 2002 inflation went down by 0.6 percent.
The
overall Index decreased from 224.4 in August 2002 to 223.1 in September 2002.
Prices for both food items and non-food items had gone down. Food items that had
decreased prices were maize flour, fish, beans, vegetables and potatoes.
Non-food consumer item, which had decreased price, was charcoal. However, prices
of clothing, footwear, tables, mattresses, utensils, dry cleaning, toilet soap,
toothpaste, radios, car spare parts, school uniforms, hand bags and wrist
watches increased. Details of the National Consumer Price Index for the month of
September 2002 by consumption groups are tabulated below:
NATIONAL
CONSUMER PRICE INDEX (ALL-URBAN)
SEPTEMBER,
2002 (Base: December 1994 = 100)
| |
MAIN GROUP |
Weight |
Sept. 2002 |
August
2002 |
% Change Aug.
2002 to Sept.
2002 |
Sept. 2001 |
%
Change Sept.
2001 to
Sept.
2002 |
| 1. |
Food |
71.2 |
228.3 |
230.4 |
-
0.9 |
220.7 |
+
3.4 |
| 2. |
Drinks
and Tobacco |
4.4 |
179.7 |
179.6 |
0.0 |
175.5 |
+
2.4 |
| 3. |
Rents |
3.9 |
201.8 |
201.7 |
0.0 |
198.3 |
+
1.8 |
| 4. |
Fuel,
Power and Water |
4.7 |
322.7 |
323.8 |
-
0.3 |
270.4 |
+19.3 |
| 5. |
Clothing
and Footwear |
3.7 |
202.8 |
201.0 |
+
0.9 |
189.0 |
+
7.3 |
| 6. |
Furniture
& Household Equipment |
2.5 |
199.1 |
197.1 |
+
1.0 |
190.1 |
+
4.7 |
| 7. |
Household
Operations &
Maintenance |
1.5 |
161.3 |
160.4 |
+
0.6 |
158.9 |
+
1.5 |
| 8. |
Personal
Care & Health |
2.2 |
150.9 |
150.5 |
+
0.3 |
145.0 |
+
4.1 |
| 9. |
Recreation
& Entertainment |
1.2 |
174.7 |
174.0 |
+
0.4 |
170.1 |
+
2.7 |
| 10. |
Transportation |
1.2 |
246.9 |
246.5 |
+
0.2 |
240.3 |
+
2.7 |
| 11. |
Education |
1.5 |
202.8 |
202.4 |
+
0.2 |
196.6 |
+
3.2 |
| 12. |
Miscellaneous
Goods and Services |
2.0 |
158.4 |
157.2 |
+
0.8 |
150.6 |
+
5.2 |
| TOTAL
- ALL ITEMS
INDEX |
100.0 |
223.1 |
224.4 |
-
0.6 |
213.6 |
+
4.4 |
|
The
yearly price increases i.e. annual rate of inflation (September
to September
1996 - 2002) for the last six years as well as movement in group indices
from September
1999 to September
2002 are shown in the diagrams below:
The
diagram below depicts the purchasing power of the shilling in terms of
consumption at different times. From September
1996, the value of 100 shillings (and
thus the purchasing power) has been decreasing steadily, declining to 61
shillings and 69 cents in September 2002.
The
National Consumer Price Index (NCPI) covers prices collected in 20 urban towns
(Regional Towns) in Mainland Tanzania. Prices are gathered for 212 items. All
prices collected are the prevailing market prices.
The NCPI is a statistical measure of goods and services bought by persons in urban areas, including all expenditure groups and both families and single persons. It measures changes in price - not - expenditure - which are the most important cause of changes in the cost of living.