Cost of food rises in Georgia as annual inflation posts 2.8% increase in March

Prices of fruit and grapes, vegetables, milk products, meat and other food products have increased in Georgia year-on-year, shows the latest inflation data from the National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat).

In March 2018 the prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages increased by 3.9 percent, contributing 1.19 percentage points to the annual inflation.

Prices increased for the following subgroups:

• Fruit and grapes (25.6 percent),
• Vegetables (7 percent)
• Milk, cheese and eggs (4.9 percent)
• Meat (4.4 percent)
• Oils and fats (3.2 percent)
• Coffee, tea and cocoa (2.9 percent)
• Fish (2.8 percent)

Along with this, prices decreased for the group of sugar, jam, honey, chocolate and confectionary goods (-2.5 percent).

In the group of alcoholic beverages and tobacco, prices also increased by 6.2 percent. Prices within the group increased for tobacco (11.2 percent), as well as for alcoholic beverages (1.1 percent.

Health-related prices increased by 3.7 percent, said Geostat. Prices increased for the following subgroups:

• Medical products, appliances and equipment (4.4 percent)
• Out-patient services (4.1 percent)
• Hospital services (2.4 percent)

In general, in March 2018 monthly inflation rate amounted to -0.4 percent. Compared to the same month of the previous year the Consumer Price Index change (annual inflation rate) posted a 2.8 percent increase.