OREANDA-NEWS. November 2, 2012. Belarus saw the consumer price index grow 0.6% over the first 9 days of October 2012 and 16.8% since early this year, the National Statistics Committee told reporters.

The largest increase in retail prices was registered with tobacco goods (3.4%), beef (except boneless meat) (2.3%), vegetable oil, beer (2.1%), chicken eggs (1.9%), butter, wheat flour, bread and bakery goods (1.5%), hard cheese (1.3%), melted cheese, condensed milk with sugar, milk powder blends used as baby food, chocolate (0.9-1.1%), petrol (5.2%), furniture (0.8%), knitwear garments (0.5%), public transport fares (9.4%), household services (1.4%).

There was a seasonal drop in prices of vegetables: potatoes – down 11.4%, carrots – down 10.2%, white cabbages – down 8.5%, beet roots – down 8%, onions – down 7.2%, apples – down 9.2%.

Cucumber prices grew 29.9%, fresh tomatoes – up 17.1%, bananas – up 6.3%, citrus fruits – up 3.3%.

As previously reported, Belarus saw the consumer price index grow 108.7% in 2011, although the initial forecast for 2011 stood at 7.5%-8.5%. Belarus’ inflation forecast for 2012 stands at 19-22%.