HIGHLIGHTS
ANNUAL INFLATION RATES DOWN
The Annual Headline Inflation rate for the year ending March 2010 went down to 7.5% from 8.1% (revised) in February 2010 (table 3). The Annual Core (Underlying) Inflation rate which excludes food crops, fuel, electricity and metered water remained relatively stable at 6.5% for the year ending March 2010 compared to 6.4% (revised) in February 2010 (Table 4). The Annual Food Crops Inflation rate for the year ending March 2010 dropped further to 16.8% from 22.0% registered in February 2010 (table 4).
MONTHLY INFLATION RATES
The Monthly Headline Inflation rate went down by 0.3%. Monthly Core Inflation rate increased by 0.1% while monthly Food crops Inflation rate dropped by 3.3% (Table 1).
INFLATION RATES BY MAJOR GROUPS
The Annual food Inflation rate decreased to 11.5% for the year ending March 2010 compared to 14.1% for the year ended February 2010. The non food inflation rate rose to 6.2% in March 2010 from 5.8% for the year ended February 2010 (Table 6). During the month, food prices index dropped by 1.6% mainly attributed to the reductions in prices of staple foods, milk, bread and cereals. The decrease in prices of some food items is mainly due to increased supplies to the markets. However, non food prices index went up by 0.3% during the month.
PRICE MOVEMENTS FOR SELECTED COMMODITIES
During the month, prices of firewood, petrol, diesel and paraffin went up. Likewise, prices of local brew (waragi) and some household and personal goods increased in most centers
INFLATION RATES BY CENTRE
Arua registered the lowest annual headline inflation rate of 0.1% compared to Mbarara, Kampala and Jinja centers that registered rates of 10.0%, 8.3% and 7.5% respectively for the year ending March 2010. (Table 1)
The February figures have been revised from 7.5% to 8.1% for the Headline Index after data analysis for education for Term one 2010 has been completed.