The consumer price index (CPI) for the third month of 2011 showed a growth of 0.27%, 0.02 percentage points higher than that recorded in March 2010, according to a report from the National Department of Statistics (DANE) published Tuesday.
The greatest positive variation in prices was recorded in the health sector, up by 0.66% from last March while the greatest negative variation was recorded in recreation which is down by 0.59%.
From March 2010 to March 2011, Valledupar, capital of the department of Cesar, saw the biggest variation in average prices, up by 0.7% while Cali had the lowest variation in prices up by only 0.06%.
The cost of food, which accounts for 28% of the CPI, went up by 0.08% from March last year. Experts said in December that despite the torrential rain and crop damage, food shortages were unlikely to take place thus easing the pressure on food prices.
The greatest average increase in food prices was recorded in fruit with prices rising by 5.64% while the price of plantain and tubers such as yam and yucca decreased in price by 5.85%.
Transport increased by 0.35% on the year with the greatest increase in the price of private transport as a result of the rise in gasoline prices by $0.22 per gallon.
