We've been reporting on higher prices on basic food items - and, it's confirmed tonight - Belizean consumers experienced an inflation spike last month.
In November of 2021 - the country experienced an overall inflation rate of 5.7%. This was the highest monthly inflation rate recorded since August 2008, and the SIB attributes it to higher prices for motor vehicle fuels, various food items, liquefied petroleum gas - or cooking gas - restaurant services, and household cleaning and maintenance products.
The food and non-alcoholic beverages also increased by 5.7% when compared to the same period last year.
For specific food items with the highest individual spikes, pigtail had a 44.5% increase from 4 dollars and 29 cents per pound last year, to 6 dollars and 20 cents per pound. Vegetable oil saw a 31.6% increase. Premium gasoline, regular gasoline, diesel, and LPG all saw increases of 28.1%, 35.7%, 39.6%, and 45.6%, respectively.
Orange Walk Town was the municipality with the highest inflation rate of 8.4%, while Punta Gorda Town had the lowest at 3.7%.
When comparing the first 11 months of 2020 to the first 11 months of this year, the cumulative inflation rate stood at 3.1%.
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