Consumer prices rising

AN increase in consumer prices for communication, transport, clothing, footwear and health means many people are purchasing those items, according to acting national statistician John Igitoi.
Igitoi, in a statement, said that many people were spending money on those items which resulted in increase in prices on goods and services.
He said a survey was done quarterly and results would be compared with the previous quarter.
He said for this quarter, results compared with the last year’s quarter showed an annual increase in spending on communication, transport, clothing, footwear and health. Igitoi said for communications, transport, clothing and footwear showed consumer price index (CPI) increase by 1.5 per cent in Port Moresby, Lae, Goroka, Mt Hagen, Madang, Alotau, Kimbe and Kokopo while Goroka, Mt Hagen, Madang, Alotau, Kimbe and Kokopo showed a 21.5 per cent CPI increase in health. Igitoi said CPI measured change in the price of goods and services that represented the spending patterns of urban dwellers in PNG.
He said for the previous year, the Covid-19 had affected his officers’ data collection but they managed to complete the report for the last quarter.