Inflation up in TZ

(SOURCE: Guardian, 24 Apr 2008. By Guardian Correspondent)

Tanzania`s inflation rose marginally to 9.0 per cent in March from 8.9 per cent in February due to higher food prices, the National Bureau of Statistics said yesterday.

Food has a weight of 55.9 per cent in the basket of items that the country uses to measure inflation.

``The increase in the rate of inflation was largely attributed to a high increase in food inflation of 11.2 per cent over the period,`` NBS said in a statement on its Web site.

Among food items whose prices rose were cereals, vegetables, fruits, fish, cooking oil and sugar, the bureau added.

Non-food items whose prices rose include kerosene, charcoal, petrol and diesel.

Tanzania`s national consumer price index covers market prices of 207 items collected in 20 towns in mainland Tanzania.