Consumer Inflation Rises to 4.47% in March

Kathmandu. Consumer inflation has seen an increase in the month of Chaitra of the current fiscal year. According to the report of the first 9 months of the current fiscal year published by Nepal Rastra Bank on Monday, point-wise annual consumer inflation reached 4.47 percent in the month of Chaitra. In the same month last year, such inflation was only 3.39 percent.

In the review month, inflation in the food and beverage group was 4.01 percent and in the non-food and service group was 4.72 percent. Among the food group, the price of ghee and oil increased by 12.87 percent, fruits by 11.67 percent, and vegetables by 9.18 percent. However, the prices of pulses and legumes, cereals, and spices have decreased somewhat, the central bank has stated.

In the non-food group, the prices of miscellaneous goods and services increased by 19.94 percent and transportation fares by 12.03 percent. Similarly, inflation in the education sector has increased by 7.46 percent.

Looking at the sectoral basis, inflation was highest in the Kathmandu Valley at 4.96 percent in the month of Chaitra. Inflation was 4.83 percent in the Terai, 4.18 percent in the hills, and 3.20 percent in the Himalayas. In the same period last year, the rate of inflation in these areas was very low.