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Consumer prices reported up 0.9 percent in first 18 days of December

 

Consumer prices in Belarus increased by 0.9 percent in the first 18 days of December compared with the average level as of mid-November, reported the National Statistical Committee (Belstat).

According to Belstat, consumer prices rose by 21.2 percent since the beginning of the year.

Between December 1 and December 18, the highest increases occurred in the prices of beetroot (17.4 percent), tomatoes (14.4 percent), potatoes (13.5 percent), communications services (13.1 percent), cabbages (11.8 percent), bulb onions (7.6 percent), apples (5.1 percent), wheat flour (4.7 percent), carrots (4.2 percent), semolina (3.2 percent), bread and bakery products (3.1 percent), consumer services and bananas (2.6 percent), butter (2.4 percent), vodka (2.3 percent), pasta (2.1 percent) and beer (1.2 percent).

The government initially projected inflation to slow to 19 to 22 percent in 2012, but Alyaksandr Lukashenka suggested in February that the government should revise its inflation projection for the year downward to 13 to 15 percent.

Deputy Economy Minister Alyaksandr Yarashenka told reporters in November that the government considered it realistic for this year’s inflation to be below 22 percent. //BelaPAN