RAMALLAH, Tuesday, April 14, 2020 (WAFA) – Despite the coronavirus lockdown in Palestine that affected the process and percentage of data collection, the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) said today that the overall Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Palestine during March increased by 0.72% compared with February.
The increase was by 0.81% in the West Bank, by 0.69% in Gaza Strip, and by 0.35% in parts of Jerusalem.
When compared to March of last year, CPI during this March increased by 1.11%, it said.
The increase was by 3.36% in parts of Jerusalem, by 1.06% in the West Bank, and with a slight increase by 0.03% in Gaza Strip.
PCBS said the data collection process for CPI has been replaced from field, face-to-face data collection to use of telephone and websites for all sale outlets in all of the Palestinian governorates. At the same time, and due to closure of many business outlets, he number of sale outlets, from which consumer prices are collected in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, was lower than normal.
The changes in Palestinian CPI for March were traced back to changes in prices of the following expenditure sub groups compared with previous month:
|
Sub Groups |
Percent Change |
|
Dried Vegetables |
+ 30.17% |
|
Fresh Chicken |
+ 10.48% |
|
Potatoes and other Tubers |
+ 4.99% |
|
Fresh Fruit |
+ 3.85% |
|
Eggs |
+ 3.43% |
|
Short Grain Rice |
+ 0.85% |
|
Fresh Vegetables |
- 0.59% |
M.K.
