Higher food, fuel prices push March inflation rate to 5.56pc

Kenya’s month-on-month inflation rate has risen to 5.56% in March from 5.08% recorded in February 2022 owing to increases in food and fuel prices.

Latest data published on Thursday by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) indicate that during the month, retail prices of essential commodities such as cooking oil, wheat flour, fuel and cooking gas shot up sharply despite a slight reduction in the cost of electricity.

The average price of a 2kg wheat flower increased 4.47% between February and March to stand at Kshs. 151.43 from Kshs. 144.95 in February.

Similarly, the average price of a 1 litre of cooking oil surged 6.5% to stand at Kshs. 332.37 from Kshs. 312.09.

The increases in prices of key food items saw the food and non-alcoholic beverages index increase to 1.49% in March.

“The month-to-month Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages Index increased by 1.49% between February 2022 and March 2022. This was mainly attributed to increase in prices of most of the food items, which outweighed the decrease in prices of others,” said KNBS.

The average retail price of cooking gas also registered a surge with the price of a 13kg gas cylinder rising 7.76% to stand at Kshs. 2,866.20 from 2,659.70 recorded in February.

More to follow….