In September, price increases were more pronounced for vegetable oils and cereals, and for dairy products prices remained stable, while sugar and meat prices fell from their August levels.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reported that in September 2020 the food price index averaged 97.9 points, i.e., 2% more than in August and already 4.6% above its value a year ago.
At the end of last year, the Consumer Price Index in the country reported a 6.1% year-on-year variation, an inflationary rhythm that is higher than the 3.9% registered in December 2018.
After not publishing for several months the information on the behavior of prices in the country, the Central Bank of Nicaragua (BCN) decided to report that in December 2019 the annual inflation was 6.1%.
As of December last year, the FAO food price index was up 13% over the same month in 2018, explained by rising prices of meat, dairy products, vegetable oils and sugar.
From the monthly report of the FAO:
» The FAO Food Price Index* (FFPI) averaged 181.7 points in December 2019, up 4.4 points (2.5 percent) from November, marking the third month of consecutive increase. Strong rallies in vegetable oils, sugar and dairy markets pushed up the overall value of the Index to its highest level since December 2014. However, for 2019 as a whole, the FFPI averaged 171.5 points, only 3 points (1.8 percent) higher than in 2018 and still significantly (58 points or 25 percent) below its peak of 230 points registered in 2011.
Last month FAO's food price index rose 10% from November 2018, explained by rising prices of meat, dairy products and vegetable oils.
From FAO's monthly report:
» The FAO Food Price Index* (FFPI) averaged 177.2 points in November 2019; up 4.7 points (2.7 percent) from October and 15.4 points (9.5 percent) from the corresponding period last year.
In the tenth month of the year, the FAO food price index rose 6% from October 2018, explained by rising prices of sugar, meat, dairy products and vegetable oils.
From FAO's monthly report:
» The FAO Food Price Index* (FFPI) averaged 172.7 points in October 2019, up 1.7 percent (3 points) from September and 6.0 percent higher than in the corresponding period last year. The increase in October marked the first significant month-on-month rise in the value of the Index since May 2019, as surges in the prices of sugar, cereals and, to a lesser extent, meat and vegetable oils, more than offset a small decline in the value of the dairy sub-index.
In the ninth month of the year, the FAO food price index increased by 3% compared to September 2018, explained by the rise in the prices of sugar, meat, dairy products and vegetable oils.
From FAO's monthly report:
» The FAO Food Price Index* (FFPI) averaged nearly 170 points in September 2019, unchanged from August but 3.3 percent higher than in the corresponding period last year. While in September sugar prices fell sharply, the decline was almost entirely offset by higher prices of vegetable oils and meat. The Dairy index was down only marginally, whereas that of cereals remained steady.
In the eighth month of the year, the FAO food price index fell 2% from July 2019, explained by the decline in the prices of sugar and main cereals.
From FAO's monthly report:
» The FAO Food Price Index* (FFPI) averaged 169.8 points in August 2019, down 1.1 percent (almost 2.0 points) from July but still 1.1 percent higher than in August 2018.
In the seventh month of the year, FAO's food price index rose 2% over the same month in 2018, again explained by the increase in the prices of cereals, meat and sugar.
From FAO's monthly report:
» The FAO Food Price Index* (FFPI) averaged 170.9 points in July 2019, down 1.1 percent (1.8 points) from June but 2.3 percent higher than in July 2018. The month-on-month decline was the result of lower prices for some cereals, dairy products and sugar, which more than offset somewhat firmer prices for meat and oils.
The costs of metals and electricity and lighting, during the fifth month of the year explained the 8% year-on-year rise in prices of construction materials.
The statistics of the Price Index of Construction Materials (IPMC) corresponding to May 2019, specify that a 7.6% year-on-year growth was reported regarding May of the previous year (8.6% in April 2019 and 8.9% in May 2018), indicates the report of the Central Bank of Nicaragua (BCN).
In the sixth month of the year, the FAO food price index increased by 1% compared to the same month in 2018, explained by the increase in the prices of cereals, meat and sugar.
In May, the CPI rose 6%, reinforcing the upward trend that has been reported since February.
In February, the indicator stood at 3.3%, in March it was 5.1% and in April, 5.8%. The May figure reinforces the upward trend that is likely to continue for the rest of the year.
In the fifth month of the year, the FAO food price index fell 2% over the same month in 2018, explained by the decline in prices of cereals and vegetable oils.
From the FAO monthly report:
The FAO Food Price Index* (FFPI) continued to rise for the fifth consecutive month, averaging 172.4 points in May 2019, up 1.2 percent (2.1 points) from April but still 1.9 percent below its level in the corresponding month last year. While prices for sugar and oils fell, the other sub-indices registered increases in May, led again by strong month-on-month firming of prices of dairy products followed by cereals.
In the fourth month of the year, the FAO food price index fell 2% over the same month in 2018, explained by the decline in prices of meat, cereals and vegetable oils.
From FAO's monthly report:
The FAO Food Price Index* (FFPI) rose in April 2019 to around 170 points, 1.5 percent (2.5 points) higher than in March and marking its highest value since June 2018. At this level, the FFPI would still remain 2.3 percent below its level in the corresponding month last year. Except for the sub-index for cereals, all the other sub-indices firmed in April, led by dairy and meat, and to a lesser extent vegetable oils and sugar.
After the country's Consumer Price Index rose to 3.3% in February 2019, it went up to 5.1% in March and 5.8% in April.
Year-on-year inflation was 5.77%, 0.95% higher than in April 2018, while core year-on-year inflation was 6.30%, reported the Central Bank of Nicaragua (BCN).