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The annual consumer inflation rate eased to an 11-month low in April, down to 6.8% from 7.1% in March.
Statistics South Africa said on Wednesday that this was the lowest reading since May last year when the inflation rate was 6.5%.
Chief Director for Price Statistics, Patrick Kelley, said inflation for food and non-alcoholic beverages eased to 13.9% in April from 14% last month.
However, he said the price index for bread and cereals increased by 20.8% in the 12 months to April.
“The milk, eggs, and cheese products group recorded an annual price increase of 14.5%, the largest rise in dairy prices in 14 years.”
Statistics South Africa said the price of vegetables was, on average, 23.1% higher year-on-year in April, the “highest annual rate since November 2007, more than 15 years ago.”
“Products pushing up the rate include onions, up 52.8%, carrots, up 29.8%, peppers, up 25%, and potatoes, up 24.4%.
Kelley said coffee lovers were “feeling the pinch too” with the annual inflation for non-alcoholic beverages at 10.4% in April, the highest rate since January 2010.
However, he said the meat, oils, and fats products group bucked the trend with meat inflation “cooling to 9.5% from 10.6% in March.”
“Inflation for oils & fats slowed for an eighth consecutive month, tumbling from 16.0% in March to 9.9% in April. The last time this rate was in single-digit territory was November 2020,” Kelley said.
