Monthly inflation in Georgia reaches 1.7% in February

Meat, vegetables, fruit, coffee and tea became more expensive in February, while prices for dairy products dropped, reflect inflation data published by the National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat).

Last month prices increased 1.7 percent for food and non-alcoholic beverages. Prices for the following were substantially higher:

• Vegetables - 6.7 percent
• Meat - 2.7 percent
• Fruit and grapes - 2.5 percent
• Oils and fats - 1.8 percent
• Coffee, tea and cocoa - 1.7 percent

Meanwhile, prices reduced for milk, cheese and eggs by 0.7 percent.

Transport-related costs rose 3.5 percent in February, and prices were substantially higher for the following subgroups:

• Operation of personal transport equipment (five percent)
• Purchasing vehicles (0.8 percent)
• Transport service (0.6 percent)

Last month the cost of alcoholic beverages and tobacco showed a 5.1 percent increase and contributed 0.34 percentage points to the overall index change. Prices mainly increased for tobacco (9.4 percent) and alcoholic beverages (0.9 percent).

Georgia’s monthly inflation amounted to 1.7 percent in February, while annual inflation (Consumer Price Index change) increased 5.5 percent, reported Geostat.