Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- According to the State Statistics Committee, in April 2022, goods and services in the consumer market on average became more expensive by 1.5% in Uzbekistan. 

In January-April 2022, the increase in prices in the consumer sector amounted to 4.4% with an average monthly value of 1.1%. In annual terms (relative to April 2021), the increase in consumer prices reached 10.4%.

The leaders in the growth of prices and tariffs in April 2022, as well as a month earlier, were food products, which increased in price by an average of 2.1% per month.

Non-food products over the same period increased in price by 1.4%, paid services - only by 0.5%.

For comparison: in April 2021, the highest increase in prices for the month was noted for food products (3.0%). Non-food products became more expensive during this period by 0.4%, paid services - by 0.5%.

In April 2020, the leaders in price growth were also food products, which became more expensive by 3.3% over the month.

The consolidated CPI for April 2022 to December 2021 was formed under the influence of rising prices for food products (2.75 p.p), non-food products (1.23 p.p.) and services (0.46 p.p.). Thus, the share of food products accounted for 61.9% of non-food products - 27.7%, services - 10.4% of the total impact of observed goods and services.

In April 2022, the leadership in monthly price growth in this section, as in the first three months of the year, belongs to vegetable products, which is largely due to the seasonal factor. Thus, vegetables, tubers, plantains and legumes increased in price by 3.6% in April this year. Fruits and nuts on average over the same period became more expensive by 2.6%.

In addition, prices increased significantly for grain crops and cereals (2.8% per month), oil and fat products and soft drinks (2.0% each).

Prices of fish and other seafood (1.9%), sugar, confectionery and desserts, as well as prepared food products and other food products (1.7% each), milk, other dairy products and eggs (1.6%) increased in April.

Of the main food products (excluding fruits and vegetables), wheat flour (5.2%) is the leader in terms of price growth for the month in April this year. Sunflower oil in April became more expensive by 2.5%, raw fresh milk - by 2.3%. Eggs, on the contrary, became cheaper by 0.4% over the month.

Granulated sugar holds the lead in price growth both in January-April 2022 (15.5%) and in annual terms (30.5%).

In April 2022, onion (10.7%), radish (10.5%) and carrot (10.1%) became the leaders in terms of price growth for the month from fruit and vegetable products.

In January-April 2022, eggplants (by 1.8 times), fresh tomatoes, bell peppers and onions (by 1.5 times) became the leaders in price growth among fruit and vegetable products.

Oranges (-7.0%) and tangerines (-6.4%) were the leaders in terms of price reduction in January-April of the current year.

The leaders in terms of contribution to the growth of the short-term consolidated CPI for April 2022 were fruits and vegetables, as well as cereals and cereal products. Due to the increase in prices for fruits and vegetables, the consolidated CPI for the month in total increased by 0.27 percentage points. Thus, the share of fruit and vegetable products accounted for over 32% of the total contribution of goods included in the section, and about 18.4% of the total impact of all observed goods and services.

The contribution of price changes for grain crops and cereal products in April of this year reached 0.23 percentage points, which is about 27.7% of the total contribution of goods in section I "Food and non-alcoholic beverages" and more than 15% of the total impact all observable goods and services.

The dominance of the influence of seasonal price increases on fruits and vegetables among the goods of section I “Food and non-alcoholic beverages” was clearly manifested in the structure of the CPI for January-April 2022. Due to the increase in prices for fruits and nuts, the consolidated CPI increased by 0.44 percentage points by December 2021, vegetables, tubers, plantains and legumes - by 1.04 percentage points.

According to calculations, the contribution of fruit and vegetable products accounted for over 56% of the total contribution of the goods of the section, and about a third of the total contribution of all observed goods and services.

A significant contribution was made by price changes for cereals and cereals (0.47 percentage points), as well as for sugar, confectionery and desserts (0.21 percentage points). The influence of other groups in this section was less significant and in total increased the consolidated CPI by 0.47 percentage points.

The most significant contribution to the growth of the consolidated CPI for April 2022 compared to April 2021 from the main groups of section I "Food and non-alcoholic beverages" made price changes for fruits and vegetables, meat, dairy, oil and fat products, sugar, confectionery and desserts, as well as for cereals and cereal products.

In April 2022, alcoholic beverages became more expensive by 0.8% over the month, including vodka - by 0.9%, wine - by 0.8, beer - by 0.6, cognac - by 0.2%.

Tobacco products rose in price by 0.9% over the month.

To the level of December 2021, alcoholic beverages increased in price by 2.9%, including vodka - by 3.6%, beer - by 2.1%, wine - by 1.8%, cognac - by 1.2%. Since the beginning of 2022, tobacco products have become more expensive by 3.0%, including cigarettes - by 2.9%, other tobacco products - by 3.0%.

In annual terms, in terms of price growth, alcoholic beverages are leading (9.4%), while tobacco products have become more expensive by 9.1%.

In the field of paid education in April 2022, a slight increase in prices per month was noted only for the services of tutors (0.5%), for teaching foreign languages and other training courses (0.1%), as well as for the services of non-state preschool educational organizations (0.2%).

The leader in terms of price growth in January-April 2022 remains training services in language and similar courses (2.2%).

The highest increase in prices in annual terms among goods and services in this section was recorded for services provided by state educational organizations in the field of preschool education (15.0%).

Ready-made food in cafes, canteens and fast food establishments in April of this year became more expensive in the range of 1.7-2.6%. Hotel services increased in price by only 0.9% over the month, prices for recreation centers, campsites and similar hotel services remained at the level of March 2022.

The leadership in price growth for January-April 2022 continues to be held by the services of recreation centers, campsites and similar hotel services (11.8%), and in annual terms - the services of fast food establishments (18.7%).

The leader in price growth in annual terms belongs to the fee for money transfers (8.1%), while the decrease in prices, relative to April 2021, was noted for money transfer services through electronic payment systems (-1.9%).

In relation to the level of December last year, prices in the section increased more than others for photocopying services (12.9%), as well as hairdressing and personal service establishments (6.7%).

In terms of price growth in annual terms, these types of services are also leading, which, compared with April 2021, have become more expensive, respectively, by 26.1% and 20.8%.