Fiji Labour Party’s three-monthly price survey of food and basic household items shows sharp increases in the price of meat, liquid milk and ghee but prices of other items have remained largely steady compared to the July survey (see table below).
The highest increase was recorded for ghee which rose from $12.18 for a 750ml bottle in July to $16.59 – up 36%. Ghee prices had gone up as high as $18 in August.
Frozen Chicken (Crest) showed the next highest increase at 34%. A No. 15 chicken now costs $16.60 compared to $12.39 in July. Lamb chops have shot up from $13.82 kg in July to $17.39 now – up 26% while lamb neck/curry pieces are now priced at $10.79kg compared to $8.40 three months ago – up 28.5%. In the canned stuff, the price of Canterbury corned mutton is up 10% rising from $4.08 to $4.49 (340g) while Oxford Beef is up 5% from $3.89 to $4.08 per 340g.
All liquid milk prices (whether local or overseas) have gone up with Rewa Dairy registering a 12% increase for Rewa Life – from $1.98 per litre to $2.22.
In the groceries section, sugar has seen a drop of 12% in price – from $4.49 per 2kg pack to $3.94; garlic has gone down 12.5% from $2.95 to $2.58 per 500g. Potatoes have registered an increase of 8% rising from $1.49kg to $1.61kg; onions have remained steady in price at $1.62 kg but the quality is highly questionable and works out more expensive as a result. The same can be said for garlic.
In the detergents/toiletries section Colgate Herbal toothpaste has seen a substantial 28% drop in price from $2.99 (100g) to $2.15. The price of Cold Power washing powder is down 14% from $4.99 to $4.29 per 900g. One wonders why it is being sold as 900g pack rather than 1kg.
Fuel prices had risen during the period under survey but have now gone back to the July level following reductions announced on Friday (14 Oct). As a result unleaded Super now sells at $2.50 per litre (same as 21 July) and Diesel at $2.20 per litre. Prices increased on 3rd August with Unleaded Super rising to $2.58 per litre and Diesel $2.31. With the fall in prices announced on 14 October, motorists are now paying what they paid in July for Super – a saving of 8c per litre (Super); the saving on Diesel is 11c per litre.
Please see the attached table for price movements on the full range of items covered in the survey. The price survey was carried out on 12 October.
|
Price Increases of Basic Household Items |
||||||
| D | E | D-E | D-E | |||
| Items | QTY | Post Vat- Increased Price | Price Diff Btw Post Vat Price Jul & Post Vat Oct 2011 | % Diff btw Post Vat Jul – Post Vat Oct 2011 | ||
|
21-Jul-11 |
12-Oct-11 |
|||||
| Meat | ||||||
| 1 | Lamb Neck/curry Pieces (Whole/Tray packed | 1kg | $ 8.40 | $ 10.79 |
2.39 |
28.45 |
| 2 | Lamb Chops (BBQ chops/slices/Curry pieces | 1kg | $ 13.82 | $ 17.39 |
3.57 |
25.83 |
| 3 | Crest Chicken | #15 | $ 12.39 | $ 12.89 |
0.50 |
4.04 |
| Canned Meat/Fish | ||||||
| 4 | Oxford Beef | 340g | $ 3.89 | $ 4.08 |
0.19 |
4.88 |
| 5 | Canterbury Corned Mutton | 340g | $ 4.08 | $ 4.49 |
0.41 |
10.05 |
| 6 | Brunswick Mackerel in Tomato Sauce | 425g | $ 2.55 | $ 2.55 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
| Groceries | ||||||
| 7 | Garlic 480 -500g | 500g | $ 2.95 | $ 2.58 |
-0.37 |
-12.54 |
| 8 | Potatoes | kg | $ 1.49 | $ 1.61 |
0.12 |
8.05 |
| 9 | Onions | kg | $ 1.62 | $ 1.62 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
| 10 | Carrot | kg | $ 3.49 | $ 3.99 |
0.50 |
14.33 |
| 11 | FMF Flour (Normal) | 10kg | $ 14.26 | $ 14.26 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
| 12 | Sungrown Rice | 10kg | $ 12.16 | $ 12.16 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
| 13 | Punjas Soya Bean Oil | 4lt | $ 20.31 | $ 20.31 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
| 14 | Punjas Soya Bean Oil | 750ml | $ 4.11 | $ 4.11 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
| 15 | Punjas Ghee | 750ml | $ 12.18 | $ 16.59 |
4.41 |
36.21 |
| 16 | Sugar | 2kg | $ 4.49 | $ 3.94 |
-0.55 |
-12.25 |
| 17 | Dhal (Split Peas) | $ 1.62 |
1.62 |
#DIV/0! |
||
| Cereals | ||||||
| 18 | Weetbix (Sanitarium) | 375g | $ 4.39 | $ 4.49 |
0.10 |
2.28 |
| 19 | FMF Breakfast Crackers | 375g | $ 1.35 | $ 1.35 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
| Beverages | ||||||
| 20 | Milo | 500g | $ 10.79 | $ 10.89 |
0.10 |
0.93 |
| 21 | Punjas Ceylon Tea (Loose) | 200g | $ 2.42 | $ 2.42 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
| Dairy Products | ||||||
| 22 | Rewa Butter | 500g |
$ 7.34 |
$ 7.34 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
| 23 | Rewa Life (White Pkt) | 1lt | $ 1.98 | $ 2.22 |
0.24 |
12.12 |
| 24 | Rewa Full Cream Powdered | 500g | $ 5.83 | $ 5.83 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
| 25 | Redcow Powdered Milk | 500g | $ 5.39 | $ 5.39 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
| Detergents/Toiletries | ||||||
| 26 | Colgate Herbal | 100g | $ 2.99 | $ 2.15 |
-0.84 |
-28.09 |
| 27 | Toilet Rolls Viti (1) | 1000s | $ 1.85 | $ 1.85 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
| 28 | Axion Dishwashing Paste | 400g | $ 3.49 | $ 2.99 |
-0.50 |
-14.33 |
| 29 | Cold Power | 900g | $ 4.99 | $ 4.29 |
-0.70 |
-14.03 |
| 30 | Pacific Washing Soap | 900g | $ 3.99 | $ 3.99 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
| 31 | Protex (Bath Soap) | 90g | $ 1.39 | $ 1.39 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
| Fuel/Cooking Gas | ||||||
| 32 | Fiji Gas | 12kg | $ 49.00 | $ 49.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
| 33 | Unleaded Super | ltr | $ 2.50 | $ 2.50 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
| 34 | Diesel | ltr | $ 2.28 | $ 2.20 |
-0.08 |
-3.51 |
Sources:
Commerce Commission
Supermarkets