The inflation rate continues its fast-growing trend. According to the latest figures from the High Commission for Planning (HCP), the consumer price index increased by 1.4% in April compared to the previous month. Compared to the same month of the previous year, this index recorded an increase of 7.8%.
In detail, the new increase recorded during the month of April is linked to the increase in the index of food products by 3.2%, in the face of stagnation in the index of non-food products. By product, “fish and seafood” recorded the highest increase between March and April 2023, with 13.3%, followed by fruits (11.4%), vegetables (5.4%) , meats (4.1%), milk, cheese, and eggs (0.5%), and oils and fats (0.3%). The pressure thus seems to be increasing, further impacting the cost of the grocery basket. The only drop recorded concerns bread, cereals, coffee, tea, and cocoa with 0.1%. For non-food products, the HCP pointed to a decline in fuel prices of 2.9%. Compared to the same month of the previous year, the index of food products increased by 16.3% and that of non-food products by 2%. For the latter, the variations range from a drop of 1% for transport to an increase of 6.7% for restaurants and hotels. Per city, the increases recorded during the month of April concerned certain areas more than others. At the top of the table is the city of Al Hoceima with 3.2%, Laayoune with 2.3%, Tangiers and Safi with 2.1%, Oujda with 2%, and Errachidia with 1.9%. The only drop recorded concerned Guelmim with 0.1%. According to the HCP, under these conditions, the core inflation indicator, which excludes products at volatile prices and those at public prices, would have seen an increase of 0.3% during the month of April compared to in March and 7.6% compared to April 2022.
M.A.M.
