Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- In April 2020, the average monthly increase in consumer prices and tariffs in Uzbekistan reached 1.7%, the State Statistics Committee of Uzbekistan said.

In January-April 2020, prices and tariffs in the consumer market increased by an average of 4.5%. In annual terms (compared to April 2019), the average increase in prices for goods and services amounted to 14.5%.

The calculation of the average monthly growth of the CPI for January-April showed that for the indicated period of 2020 it amounted to 1.1%, while for the same period in 2019 - 1.3%.

The most significant gap in the consolidated CPI compared to December of the previous year during January-April 2019 and 2020 was recorded in February (3.1% versus 1.4%, or 1.7 points, respectively), it was minimal in April (5.3% versus 4.5%, or 0.8 points).

The annual consolidated CPI in April 2020, compared with the same indicator of the previous month, increased by 0.9 points (14.5% versus 13.6%). At the same time, the CPI for April 2020 compared to April of the previous year was 0.8 points higher than this indicator for April 2019 (14.5% versus 13.7%).

As for price changes in the context of enlarged groups, the leadership in price growth, as in previous months, belongs to food products. In April of this year, they rose by 3.3%, while non-food products added 0.7%, and services - 0.3%.

With a total growth of the consolidated CPI in April 2020 for the month by 1.7 percentage points (hereinafter referred to as p. p.), 1.4 percentage point associated with rising food prices.

The increase in prices for non-food products added an additional 0.2 percentage points to the monthly consolidated indicator.

Due to the growth of tariffs for paid services, the consolidated CPI additionally increased by 0.1 percentage points.

In April 2020, food products accounted for 81.8%, non-food products - 14.1%, services - 4.1% of the total monthly CPI growth.

In general, in the first four months of 2020, the level of prices for food products increased by 7.7%, non-food products - by 2.4%, services - by 1.8%.

Share of each enlarged group, showed that in January-April 2020, dominance was monthly maintained by food products. Inflationary pressure of price changes on food products during this period gradually increased from 0.4 p. p. (January) up to 3.3 p.p. (April). The impact of rising prices for non-food goods and paid services to the population on the growth of the composite indicator compared to December 2019 was not much. So, for non-food products, this indicator from January to April increased from 0.1 p. p. up to 0.8 p. p., and for services - from 0.1 p. p. up to 0.4 p. p.

In specific indicators, the share of the influence of price changes in food products in April 2020 accounted for 72.7%, non-food products - 18.4%, services - 8.9% of the total growth of the consolidated CPI compared to December 2019.

As for the impact of price changes in the main groups of goods and services on the growth of the consolidated CPI in annual terms, in April this year, due to rising prices for food products, this indicator increased by 8.1 percentage points, non-food products - by 3.3 p.p., services - by 3.1 p.p.

In percentage terms, the share of food products accounted for about 55.8% of the total growth of the consolidated CPI compared to April 2019. The influence of non-food goods and services is approximately equal and accounting for 22.8% and 21.4% respectively.

In April 2020, food products for the month rose by 3.3%, which is 1.4 points more than the same period last month.

Since the beginning of 2020, the average price increase for goods of this group amounted to 7.7% with an average monthly increase of 1.9%. Compared to April 2019, food products on average became more expensive by 19.1%.

Of the main observed food product groups, egg prices rose by 8.1% for the month, fruits and vegetables - 6.6%, bread products - 4.3%, milk products - 2.5%, meat, poultry and fish - 2.0%, oil and fats - 1.8%, sugar, tea and other products - 1.6%, alcoholic and soft drinks - 0.9% and 0.8%.

Catering for the month has become more expensive by 1.6%, since the beginning of the year - by 4.1%. Compared to the end of 2019, the most significant price increases were recorded in fruits and vegetables (19.9%), bakery products (6.8%) and meat products (6.2%).

Of the bread products (including cereals and legumes), prices for buckwheat (16.5%) and legumes (6.3% - 8.5%) increased higher than other products in this group. These same products are the leaders in price growth for January-April of this year. So, since the beginning of the year, buckwheat has become more expensive by 24.2%, legumes - in the range of 10.3% to 17.5%.

On average, meat products have become more expensive by 2.0% per month (6.2% since the beginning of the year). Chicken legs, drumstick and other poultry meat rose in the range of 2.6% - 2.9% (from the beginning of the year by 1.6% - 3.0%), pork - by 2.2% (6.1%), mutton - by 2.1% (8.4%), beef (except boneless meat) - by 1.8% (6.7%), boneless beef - by 1.7% (6.8%), meat offal - within 1.6% - 2.8% (5.5% - 7.5%), sausages - 1.7% - 2.1% (3.9% - 6.3%), fish and canned food from it - by 2.4% (5.4%).

Eggs in April of this year for the month became more expensive by 8.1%, and since the beginning of the year, the price level for them has increased by 5.1%.

Of the dairy products, the prices grew more significantly than others over the month for suzma (3.5%) and fresh milk (3.4%). The leading positions in price increases relative to the end of 2019 belong to fresh milk, kefir and yogurt (7.4%).

Prices for granulated sugar in April this year increased by 1.9% (from the beginning of the year - by 3.3%), refined sugar - by 2.7% (4.1%). Confectionery products increased by 1.7% for the month (from the beginning of the year 3.9%), coffee and tea - 1.6% (2.6%), other food products (salt, spices, seasonings, etc.) - by 1.0% (2.1%).

Of the oil and fat products in April 2020, vegetable oils became more expensive by 1.7% for the month (including sunflower - by 1.9%, cotton - 1.5%), butter - by 2.6%, margarine - by 2.1%, animals and melted fats - by 0.9%. Since the beginning of the year, these products have risen in price by an average of 3.8%, including butter - by 5.3%, animal and melted fats - by 4.6%, margarine - by 4.4%, vegetable oils - by 3.5%.

Of the fruits and vegetables, which grew by 6.6% over the month, the most significant increase was in the price for lemons (1.6 times), and the decrease was in fresh cucumbers (by 32.8%) and tomatoes (15.7%) .

Relative to the end of 2019, fruits, vegetables and potatoes on average became more expensive by 19.9%, while the leadership in price growth belongs to lemons (1.8 times), garlic (1.7 times) and potatoes (1.6 times). Fresh cucumbers were sold cheaper than in December 2019 (by 22.5%), as well as sauerkraut and salted cabbage (by 0.8%).

As for changes in consumer prices for the main groups of food products in annual terms, the eggs continue to hold leadership in price growth for the third month in a row relative to the corresponding month last year (43.1%).

An analysis of the contribution of price increases of the main food product groups to the growth of the consolidated CPI for the month showed that in April of this year, as in the previous month, the leaders were fruits and vegetables, bakery products, as well as meat, poultry and fish. In total, they ensured an increase in the consolidated CPI by 1.0 percentage points, which is about 71.9% of the total impact of food products.

In the structure of the consolidated CPI by December 2019, the most significant share of food products also belongs to the above three groups. Thus, due to an increase in prices for fruits and vegetables, the consolidated CPI increased by 1.54 percentage points compared to December 2019, meat, poultry and fish - by 0.63 percentage points, bakery products - 0.47 percentage points. The total contribution of these groups to the growth of the composite indicator amounted to about 80.5% of the total impact of food products. As for the consolidated CPI in annual terms, meat, poultry and fish (2.69 p.p.), bakery products (1.90 p.p.), as well as fruits, vegetables and potatoes (1.11 p.p.) occupy leading positions in terms of influence.

Non-food products in April 2020, on average, became more expensive by 0.7%. Relative to December 2019, the price increase for goods of this group amounted to 2.4%, to April 2019 - 9.5%.

In April 2020, of the main observed groups of non-food products, the most significant increase in prices was noted for medicines (3.9%), as well as detergents and cleaners (2.1%).

Printed products continue to hold leadership in price increases relative to December 2019 (12.0%). Then, in descending order, followed by personal transport (7.2%), medicines (5.6%) and tobacco products (4.5%).

In annual terms, fuel prices for automobiles (20.8%), jewelry (17.7%), as well as books, newspapers and magazines (16.3%) went up significantly more than others.

As for the contribution of price changes of the main groups of nonfood products to the growth of the consolidated CPI for the month, according to the results of April 2020, the most significant contribution, taking into account the specific weight, was the increase in prices for medicines (0.11 percentage points). Due to rising prices for clothes and shoes, the composite indicator increased by 0.05 percentage points, detergents and cleaning products - by 0.03 percentage points, personal hygiene products and construction materials added 0.02 percentage points to it in total.

Clothing and medicines are leaders in non-food products in terms of their contribution to the growth of the consolidated CPI for January-April 2020 (total impact of 0.37 percentage points, or 44.6% of the total impact of non-food products). In April 2019, the most significant contribution to the growth of the composite indicator was made by price changes for clothes (0.70 p.p.) and fuel for cars (0.50 p.p.).

In April 2020, the increase in tariffs for paid services to the population for the month amounted to 0.3%. Relative to the end of 2019, tariff growth amounted to 1.8%, and in annual terms - 13.8%

Of the observed types of paid services to the population, medical (1.3%) and household (0.7%) services rose in price more than others in April this year.

In general, during the period from January to April 2020, recreation services (5.6%), household services (3.7%) and education (3.4%) rose more significantly than others.

As for the change in tariffs for paid services to the population in annual terms, of the main observed groups, their most notable growth was registered in the services of preschool educational organizations (20.2%), education (18.0%), housing and communal services (16.6%), household services (15.4%).

Assessing the contribution of tariff changes of the main service groups to the growth of the consolidated CPI for April 2020, we can say that the key factor was the increase in tariffs for medical and domestic services.

Of the main observed types of paid services to the population, the most significant contribution to the increase in the consolidated CPI relative to the end of 2019 was the increase in tariffs for domestic services (0.17 p. p., or about 42.5% of the total impact of paid services). In addition, an increase in the cost of medical services (0.10 p. p., or 24.3%) and educational services (0.07 p. p., or 17.5%) made a significant contribution.

As for the impact on the growth of the composite indicator in annual terms, the leading positions belong to housing and communal services (1.01 percentage points), household services (0.70 percentage points), passenger transport (0.38 percentage points) p.), education (0.36 percentage points), as well as the services of preschool educational organizations (0.11 percentage points).