Taiwan’s consumer inflation eased in September, but fruit and vegetable prices continued to rise significantly, as bad weather disrupted supplies.
According to figures released Friday by Taiwan’s statistics authorities, the island’s Consumer Price Index (CPI), a major gauge of inflation, stood at 110.39 in September, registering a year-on-year increase of 2.96 percent.
The prices of fruits and vegetables in September rose by 29.04 percent and 26.26 percent, respectively, over the same month last year.
The price of onions rose by a hefty 151.04 percent in September, and the costs of guavas and papayas also more than doubled. The prices of carrots and garlic rose by more than 50 percent.
Overall, fruits and vegetables contributed 1.40 percentage points of the increase of the CPI in September, and foods in general contributed 1.84 percentage points.
Moreover, the prices of fuel, dairy and marine products, and electricity also stood at high levels in September.
By September, Taiwan’s CPI had risen by 1.96 percent this year.
Meanwhile, the index of wholesale prices stood at 111.49 last month, marking a 2.19-percent decrease from the same period last year.
Xinhua