Maputo — Inflation in Mozambique in September, as measured by the consumer price indices of the three largest cities (Maputo, Nampula and Beira), was just 0.32 per cent, according to the latest data issued by the National Statistics Institute (INE).
Inflation for the first nine months of the year was 0.77 per cent. Inflation over the previous year (1 October 2019 to 30 September 2020) was 2.98 per cent. At this rate, the 2020 inflation rate looks set to be well under five per cent, despite the expected price rises during the festive season.
So far this year, inflation has followed the classic pattern of slight price rises in the first four months, followed by price falls (deflation) in May, June and July, as the harvest came in. Since then price increases have resumed, but at a low level – 0.06 per cent in August and now 0.32 per cent in September.
There were some significant price rises in September – the price of potatoes rose by 6.5 per cent, of fresh fish by 4.6 per cent, of butter beans by 2.3 per cent, and complete restaurant meals by one per cent.
But some key foodstuffs dropped in price over the month – cassava flour (by 5.1 per cent), maize flour (1.6 per cent), onions (3.9 per cent), tomatoes (1.3 per cent), dried fish (1.1 per cent).
Of the three cities, Beira had the highest inflation rate, of 0.83 per cent, followed by Maputo (0.22 per cent), and by Nampula (0.16 per cent).
Source: Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique