Consumer prices up 0.7% in August

In August, compared with July, the consumer prices rose by 0.7 % on average, being influenced by the drop in food prices by 2.2% and by the rise of the non-food product prices by 0.6%, plus the tariffs of utilities -- up 5%, the National Statistics Bureau states, quoted by Info-Prim Neo. The food price slide was generated by the season reduction of the average prices of agricultural produce as to July: watermelons – down 51.8%, fresh vegetables – down 17.3%, fresh fruit – down 13.8%, eggs – down 4.9%, tomatoes – down 3.1%. At the same time, the prices of meat, cream and honey surged by 2%. As for the industrial products, it was the prices of liquefied gas that grew the most – up 11.1%, satchels – up 2.5%, stationery – up 2.3% and apparel for children -- up 1.7%. Among utilities, it was the natural gas that grew the most -- up 22.5%, the water supply and drainage – up 15.1 %, electricity – 11.9% and minibus intercity transport – up 6.2% . The inflation rose 6% in the period from December 2007 to August 2008, and 7.3% in the period August 2007 – August 2008. The average price rise for the last 12 months was 11.7%.