August 17, 2015

The Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN), reports that for July 2015 the All Jamaica ‘All Divisions’

Consumer Price Index was 227.2 indicating an increase of 0.9 per cent. The index for the heaviest

weighted division, ‘Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages’ recorded the highest movement for the

month, 2.2 per cent. Contributing mainly to this increase was the class ‘Vegetables and Starchy

Foods’ which moved up by 9.7 per cent due to the prevailing drought conditions. The division

‘Housing Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels’ also recorded an increase of 1.0 per cent in its

index due mainly to higher rates for electricity, water and sewage. The index for the division

‘Transport’, recorded a decrease of 2.7 per cent, which tempered the upward movement of the

overall index.

This decline was due largely to 16.7 per cent decrease in adult bus fares for passengers in the

Greater Kingston Metropolitan Area taking Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) buses. This

was as a result of a ‘limited summer special’ offered by the company.

July’s All Jamaica ‘All Divisions’ CPI movement resulted in a calendar year-to-date inflation rate of 1.4

per cent, while the fiscal year-to-date and point–to-point rates were 2.0 per cent and 3.8 per cent

respectively.

The divisions that recorded increases in the All Jamaica ‘All Divisions’ index were: ‘Food and Non-

Alcoholic Beverages’ (2.2 per cent) and ‘Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco’ (0.4 per cent), ‘Clothing

and Footwear’ (0.4 per cent), ‘Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household

Maintenance’ (0.3 per cent), ‘Health’ (0.3 per cent), ‘Recreation and Culture’ (0.2 per cent),

‘Miscellaneous Goods and Services’ (0.2 per cent) and ‘Restaurants and Accommodation Services’

(0.1 per cent). The divisions ‘Education’ and ‘Communication’ each remained unchanged.

The regional index showed increases in movements for each of the three regions: Greater Kingston

Metropolitan Area 0.5 per cent, Other Urban Centres 1.2 per cent and Rural Areas 1.0 per cent.

The Consumer Price Index Bulletin July 2015 further outlines additional information

and may be obtained from the Information Section of the Statistical Institute of

Jamaica, 7 Cecelio Avenue, Kingston 1