Malawi’s annualised inflation rate rose marginally to 8.9 percent in September on the back of an increase in the cost of foodstuffs, official data released on Thursday showed.
According to Malawi’s National Statistical Office, year-on-year inflation increased by 0.5 percentage points from the August 2021 rate of 8.4 percent.
The increase was driven by a rise in food inflation from 9.7 percent in August to 10.9 percent in September, it said.
Non-food inflation did not change, remaining at 7.2 percent in both August and September.
The agency, however, said prices of goods and services were higher in rural areas compared to urban areas, urban food and non-food inflation pegged at 1.7 and 0.5 percent, respectively in September against 3.9 and 0.8 percent, respectively for rural areas.
This is partly due to higher transport costs of getting commodities to rural areas.
JN/APA