February 18, 2025
The Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) reported that as at January 2025, the point-to-point inflation rate was +4.7%; 0.3 percentage points Lower than the 5.0% recorded between December 2023 and December 2024. Compared to December 2024, The All-Jamaica Consumer Price Index (CPI) decreased by 0.3% for January 2025.
The main driver of the monthly decrease (+0.3%) was a 1.3% fall in the index for the ‘Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages’ division, primarily due to a 7.4% decrease in the ‘Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses’ class. Additionally, a 0.3% decrease in the ‘Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas, and Other Fuels’ category, attributed to lower electricity rates, contributed to the overall decline. However, this downward trend was offset by a 2.2% increase in the ‘Restaurant and Accommodation Services’ category, mainly due to higher prices for meals from fast food outlets and cookshops, and a 1.8% rise in the ‘Education’ category, driven by higher tuition fees for private primary schools.
The All-Jamaica point-to-point inflation rate for the period January 2024 to January 2025 was 4.7%. The main contributors to this increase were the divisions: ‘Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages’ (+7.4%), ‘Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels’ (+2.0%), 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 23.5% increase in the ‘Fruits and Nuts’ category and a 12.4% 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 plantains, carrots, yellow yam, green bananas, and tomatoes.
The 2.0% increase in the ‘Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas, and Other Fuels’ division was mainly driven by a 5.1% rise in the ‘Imputed Rentals for Housing’ group and a 0.8% increase in the ‘Water Supply and Miscellaneous Services Relating to the Dwelling’ group. These increases were due to higher household rent and water rates, respectively.
In the ‘Restaurants and Accommodation Services’ division, the primary factor for the increase was higher prices for food purchased from fast food restaurants and cookshops. 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 1.3%. Within this division, the ‘Food’ group saw a 1.4% decline, while the ‘Non-Alcoholic Beverages’ group experienced a 0.4% increase. The drop in the ‘Food’ group was mainly due to a 7.4% decrease in the ‘Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas, and pulses’ category, driven by lower prices for items like tomatoes, sweet peppers, carrots, and yams. However, this decline was partially offset by increases in other categories, especially ‘Fruits and Nuts,’ which saw higher prices for fruits such as watermelon and papaya. In the ‘Non-Alcoholic Beverages’ group, the index for ‘Fruit and Vegetable Juices’ and ‘Coffee, Tea, Cocoa’ each rose by 0.3%, while the ‘Water, Soft Drinks, and Other Non-Alcoholic Beverages’ category increased by 0.5%.
The point-to-point inflation rate for this division was 7.4%.
The index for the ‘Alcoholic Beverages, Tobacco and Narcotics’ division rose by 0.2%. The increase was primarily driven by a 0.3% increase in the index of the ‘Alcoholic Beverages’ group and a 0.1% increase in the index of the ‘Tobacco’ group.
The point-to-point inflation rate for this division was 6.3%.
The index for the ‘Clothing and Footwear’ division increased by 0.4%. There was a 0.5% 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 3.3%.
The index for the ‘Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels’ division saw 0.3% decrease, mainly due to a 1.4% drop in the ‘Electricity, Gas, and Other Fuels’ group, which was driven by lower electricity rates. However, this overall decline was partially offset by a 1.2% increase in the ‘Water Supply and Miscellaneous Services Relating to the Dwelling’ group, which was influenced by higher water and sewage rates.
The point-to-point inflation rate for this division was 2.0%.
The index for the ‘Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance’ division rose by 0.2%. All groups within this division saw increases: ‘Household Textiles’ went up by 0.5%, ‘Furniture, Furnishings, and Loose Carpets’ by 0.3%, ‘Tools and Equipment for House and Garden’ by 0.2%, ‘Household Appliances’ by 0.2%, and ‘Goods and Services for Routine Household Maintenance’ by 0.2%.
The point-to-point inflation rate was 4.9%.
The index for the ‘Health’ division increased by 0.6%. This rise was mainly driven by a 0.5% increase in the ‘Medicines and Health Products’ group, primarily due to higher prices for over-the-counter pain relievers. Additionally, the ‘Outpatient Care Services’ group saw a 1.3% increase, attributed to higher dental fees.
The point-to-point inflation rate was 4.7%.
The index for the ‘Transport’ division increased by 0.2%. This was influenced by a 0.9 per cent rise in the index of the group ‘Operation of Personal Transport Equipment’ due to higher petrol prices.
The point-to-point inflation rate was 0.7%.
The index for ‘Recreation, Sport and Culture’ division increased by 0.4%. This rise was mainly driven by a 0.5% increase in the ‘Newspapers, Books, and Stationery’ group, which was due to higher prices for newspapers and stationery items.
The point-to-point inflation rate was 3.5%.
The index for ‘Education’ division increased by 1.8%. This movement was attributable to higher tuition fees charged by private schools at the primary level for the Easter school term (January – April 2025).
The point-to-point inflation rate was 9.4%.
The index for ‘Restaurants and Accommodation Services’ division increased by 2.2%. This was influenced primarily by higher prices for meals purchased at fast food restaurants and cookshops.
The point-to-point inflation rate was 6.2%.
The index for the ‘Personal Care, Social Protection and Miscellaneous Good and Services’ division rose by 0.4%. This was primarily driven by increased prices for some personal care products and services.
The point-to-point inflation rate was 3.5%.
Individual divisions saw the following changes:
- Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages: (-1.3%)
- Alcoholic Beverages, Tobacco and Narcotics: (+0.2%)
- Clothing and Footwear: (+0.4%)
- Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels: (-0.3%)
- Furnishing, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance: (+0.2%)
- Health: (+0.6%)
- Transport: (+0.2%)
- Recreation, Sport, and Culture: (+0.4%)
- Education: (+1.8)
- Restaurants and Accommodation Services: (+2.2%)
- Personal Care, Social Protection and Miscellaneous Goods and Services: (+0.4%)
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