Inflation exceeds normal rate: Minsk Department of Statistics against Ministry of Statistics

Over four months food prices in Minsk have increased by 18.2 per cent, service prices – by 14.8 per cent, oil products prices - by 6.3 per cent. It was informed by the Minsk City Department of Statistics. According to the data of the Ministry of Statistics, the inflation rate for this period amounts to 5.3 per cent. The data of the city department of statistics show a 2.5fold larger figure.

According to BelaPAN, food prices in Minsk have increased year on year at average by 18.2 per cent.

Vegetable oil prices have increased by 88.8 per cent, macaroni products – by 30.2 per cent, butter – 30.1 per cent, milk and dairy products – by 28.7 per cent, hard cheese – by 23.1 per cent, cereals and beans – by 21.4 per cent, meat and poultry – 17.6 per cent, wheat flour – by 16.3 per cent, confectionery products - by 14.8 per cent, sausage goods – by 14.5 per cent, alcohol – by 13.6 per cent, eggs – by 12.7 per cent, bread and bakery products – by 12.6 per cent, tinned meat – by 6.3 per cent, fish and fish products – by 5.4 per cent. Fresh fish prices have decreased by 8.9 per cent.

For January-April 2008 potato has grown in price by 5.5 per cent y-o-y. Prices of other vegetable have increased by 25 per cent, among them fresh cabbage – by 90.7 per cent, carrot – by 38.1 per cent, sweet pepper – by 35.7 per cent, beet – by 29 per cent, fresh cucumber by 14.3 per cent, fresh tomato by 13.3 per cent, onion by 13.2 per cent. Garlic prices have fallen by 1.9 per cent. Fruit have grown in price by 45 per cent, including citrus fruit by 75.2 per cent, apple – by 32.4 per cent, banana - by 24.4 per cent, grape - by 17.7 per cent.

Nonfood products prices have grown y-o-y by 6.3 per cent for January-April 2008, including prices of washing means – by 18.6 per cent, petrol – by 14.5 per cent, medical supplies – by 10.8 per cent, building materials – by 9.5 per cent, printings – by 9.4 per cent, perfume and cosmetics – by 8.7 per cent, furniture – by 7.5 per cent, textiles – by 6.1 per cent. Price of furs decreased by 3 per cent, bicycles – by 2.1 per cent, fridges – by 0.3 per cent.

Paid services prices have increased by 14.8 per cent in the city. Prices of services of kindergartens have grown by 37 per cent, convalescence homes services – by 32 per cent, housing utilities – by 22.9 per cent, touristic services – by 17.5 per cent, personal services – by 15.1 per cent, passenger transport services – by 11.7 per cent, higher education costs – by 11 per cent, physical culture and sport services - by 9.5 per cent, medical services – by 6.9 per cent, cultural organisations services - by 6.8 per cent.

Prices in public catering establishments have grown by 12.7 per cent over January-April 2008.

It is notable that according to the official data of the Ministry of Statistics, the inflation rate for this period amounts only to 5.3 per cent. The data of the city department of statistics give a 2.5fold larger figure.