May 16, 2025
The Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) reported that as at April 2025, the point-to-point inflation rate was +5.3%; 0.3 percentage points higher than the 5.0% recorded between March 2024 and March 2025. Compared to March 2025, The All-Jamaica Consumer Price Index (CPI) decreased by 0.4% for April 2025.
The main driver of the monthly decrease (0.4%) was a 1.4% fall in the index for the ‘Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels’ division, primarily due to a 4.0% decline in the ‘Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels’ group resulting from lower electricity rates. Additionally, a 0.5% decrease in the ‘Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages’ division, driven by a 2.8% drop in the ‘Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses’ class due to lower prices for items such as yam, Irish potato, cabbage, and sweet pepper, contributed to the overall decline. Offsetting these decreases slightly was a 0.4% increase in the ‘Health’ division, mainly due to higher prescription medication costs.
The All-Jamaica point-to-point inflation rate for the period April 2024 to April 2025 was 5.3%. The main contributors to this increase were the divisions: ‘Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages’ (+7.5%), ‘Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels’ (+6.1%), and ‘Restaurants and Accommodation Services’ (+6.2%).
The rise in the index for the ‘Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages’ division was primarily due to a 17.8% increase in the ‘Fruits and Nuts’ category and a 14.9% rise in the ‘Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas, and pulses’ category. Specifically, prices went up for ripe bananas, oranges, watermelons, and dried coconuts in the ‘Fruits and Nuts’ category, while the ‘Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas, and pulses’ category saw higher prices for Irish potatoes, tomatoes, yams, plantains, carrots, and green bananas.
The increase in the ‘Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas, and Other Fuels’ division was mainly driven by an 8.9% rise in the ‘Imputed Rentals for Housing’ group and a 4.3% increase in the ‘Electricity, Gas, and Other Fuels’ group. These increases were due to higher household rent and electricity rates, respectively.
In the ‘Restaurants and Accommodation Services’ division, the primary factor for the increase was higher prices for food purchased away from home. This led to a 6.2% rise in the index for the ‘Food and Beverage Serving Services’ group.
MAJOR CPI DIVISION MOVEMENTS
The index of the ‘Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages’ division decreased by 0.5% for April 2025. Within this division, the ‘Food’ group recorded a 0.6% decline, mainly due to a 2.8% decrease in the ‘Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas, and pulses’ category, driven by lower prices for cabbage, sweet pepper, Irish potato, sweet potato, and yam. Additionally, the ‘Fruits and Nuts’ category declined by 0.9%, reflecting lower prices for watermelon, papaya, and ripe banana. These declines were partially offset by increases in ‘Meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals’ (+0.3%), ‘Oils and Fats’ (+0.7%), and ‘Fish and Seafood’ (+1.1%). The ‘Non-Alcoholic Beverages’ group saw a 0.3% increase, with all classes within the group recording gains: ‘Fruit and Vegetable Juices’ (+0.4%), ‘Coffee, Tea, Cocoa’ (+0.3%), and ‘Water, Soft Drinks, and Other Non-Alcoholic Beverages’ (+0.2%).
The point-to-point inflation rate for this division was 7.5%.
The index for the ‘Alcoholic Beverages, Tobacco and Narcotics’ division rose by 0.3%. The increase was due to a 0.4% rise in the index of the ‘Alcoholic Beverages’ group, mainly driven by higher prices for beers.
The point-to-point inflation rate for this division was 6.4%.
The index for the ‘Clothing and Footwear’ division increased by 0.1%. There was a 0.1% rise in the index of the ‘Clothing’ group, while the ‘Footwear’ group saw a 0.2% increase in its index.
The point-to-point inflation rate for this division was 3.4%.
The index for the ‘Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels’ division fell by 1.4%, mainly due to a 4.0% drop in the ‘Electricity, Gas, and Other Fuels’ group, driven by lower electricity rates. However, this decline was tempered by a 0.3% increase in the ‘Maintenance, Repair and Security of the Dwelling’ group, influenced by higher paint prices.
The point-to-point inflation rate for this division was 6.1%.
The index for the ‘Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance’ division rose by 0.2%. The primary driver was a 0.3% increase in the ‘Goods and Services for Routine Household Maintenance’ group, due to higher prices for household cleaning products.
The point-to-point inflation rate was 4.8%.
The index for the ‘Health’ division increased by 0.4%. This rise was primarily driven by a 0.4% increase in the ‘Medicines and Health Products’ group, due to higher prices for prescribed antibiotics. Additionally, the ‘Outpatient Care Services’ group saw a 0.9% increase, mainly due to higher fees for general practitioners.
The point-to-point inflation rate was 4.8%.
The index for the ‘Transport’ division remained unchanged. A 0.2% decline in the ‘Operation of Personal Transport Equipment’ group, due to lower petrol prices, was offset by a 0.2% increase in the ‘Purchase of Motor Vehicles’ group, resulting from higher vehicle prices.
The point-to-point inflation rate was 0.6%.
The index for ‘Recreation, Sport and Culture’ division increased by 0.1%. This rise was mainly driven by a 0.2% increase in the ‘Newspapers, Books and Stationery’ group.
The point-to-point inflation rate was 3.5%.
The index for the ‘Personal Care, Social Protection and Miscellaneous Good and Services’ division rose by 0.2%. This increase was primarily due to a 0.2% rise in the ‘Personal Care’ group, driven by higher prices for personal care products and services.
The point-to-point inflation rate was 3.4%.
Individual divisions saw the following changes:
- Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages: (-0.5%)
- Alcoholic Beverages, Tobacco and Narcotics: (+0.3%)
- Clothing and Footwear: (+0.1%)
- Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels: (-1.4%)
- Furnishing, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance: (+0.2%)
- Health: (+0.4%)
- Transport: (+0.0%)
- Recreation, Sport, and Culture: (+0.1%)
- Personal Care, Social Protection and Miscellaneous Goods and Services: (+0.2%)
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