Spare parts push inflation

MASERU — Spare parts for personal vehicles helped push year-on-year inflation for December to 4.2 percent up from 4.1 percent in November.
Figures released by the Bureau of Statistics last week also show that increases in petrol and diesel contributed to the increase.
It said operation of personal transport weighed in with 2.1 percent while the price index of meat and meat products weighed in on the year-on-year figure by 0.7 percent year-on year.
The bureau said mutton and chicken were the biggest contributor to the increase in meat and meat product index.
Fresh vegetables like tomatoes, pumpkins, and cabbages also contributed to the slight increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
So did bedroom suites, wardrobes and blankets.
“Large monthly increases are observed in the price indices of mutton, chicken, apples, cabbage, pumpkins, tomatoes, blankets, bedroom suites, wardrobes, parts and accessories, petrol as well as diesel.”
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is designed to show changes in the cost of buying a fixed bundle of consumer goods and services as determined for the base period.
The prices for the goods and services are derived from CPI basket based on the 2002/03 Household Budget Survey.
Prices are gathered from Lesotho’s eight major towns and the survey extends to rural areas. 
“The overall CPI for December 2009, covering eight towns increased by 0.1 percent from the index level estimated in November 2009,” the bureau said in a statement.
It added that the price index of oils and fats had slowed down to counteract the increases in other indices.
“This increase has been counteracted by a decrease in the price index of oils and fats constituting 0.8 percent.”