Consumer prices in Azerbaijan rose 5.5% in September compared with a year earlier, the State Statistics Committee reported. The sharpest increases were recorded in vegetables and eggs.
According to figures released by Azerbaijan’s State Statistics Committee, consumer prices in September climbed 5.5% year-on-year, driven largely by higher costs for vegetables and eggs. Over the January-September period, prices rose 5.7% compared with the same months last year, with the food, alcoholic beverages and tobacco category accounting for most of the increase at 6.9%. Non-food goods rose 3.7%, while paid services became 5.5% more expensive.
Prices in September rose 0.9% from August, putting monthly inflation at roughly 1%. Annual inflation has mostly ranged between 5% and 6% since the start of the year: it stood at 5.4% in January, climbed to 6.3% in April and May, then eased to 6% in June and 5% in July. It fell further to 4.9% in August, the lowest point of the year, before rebounding to 5.5% in September.
Vegetables and eggs post sharp increases
The food, alcoholic beverages and tobacco category rose 1.4% in September compared with August and 6.9% year-on-year. The steepest monthly rise came in vegetables, up 6.9%. Eggs rose 5.4%, meat and meat products 2%, and fish products 1.9%.
Dairy products rose 0.4%, the bread and cereals group 0.3%, and alcoholic beverages 0.4%. Butter, however, fell 0.2% and fruit dropped 1.3%. Prices rose for buckwheat, beef, mutton and poultry, fish, eggs, herbs, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and potatoes, while lemons, apples, pears, grapes, walnuts and white cabbage became cheaper.
Rents and education costs climb
Non-food goods rose 0.4% month-on-month and 3.6% year-on-year in September. Clothing, paint, timber, furniture, laptops and tablets all became more expensive, while jewellery prices fell.
Paid services to the public rose 0.6% over the month and 5.1% over the year. Higher and specialised secondary education, foreign language courses, exam preparation courses, housing rentals and hairdressing services all became more expensive, while international air passenger and freight transport costs declined.
