China’s consumer price index (CPI) has been boosted again over January, pushed on chiefly by rising food prices, with fruit as the standout example.
CPI rose 4.9 per cent over January year-on-year, according to the Chinese statistic’s bureau, following on from a 4.6 per cent rise in December. Local economists have predicted February’s inflation will rise to over 5 per cent.
Food costs account for about one third of CPI calculations, and overall rose 10.3 per cent in January.
The price of fresh vegetables went up 2 per cent, while the price of fruit went up 34.8 per cent, reported Xinhua.
Prices rises for fresh fruit and vegetables have in part been pushed upwards due to cold weather cutting into production in China’s south.
CPI growth is also being seen by economics as part of a wider inflation issue in China.
