(Business in Cameroon) - In May 2020, the Consumer Price Index declined by 0.2% after a 0.4% increase the previous month, according to the National Institute of Statistics (INS).

This monthly trend, the Institute explains, is mainly due to the decline in the price of transports (-3.2% after a +3.2% rise the previous month). This decline in the price of transports was mainly spurred by the 4.6% drop in public transportation costs, which was caused by the easing measures enacted by the government. Indeed, after these easing measures enacted on April 30 2020, public transportation costs returned to their normal level after a concealed increase during the previous month.

On the other hand, the INS says, after falling by 0.2% last month, food prices rose by 0.9%. "The rise in food prices can be explained by the surge in the prices of vegetables (+5.1% after -1.4% last month) and the increase in the prices of sugar, jam, honey, chocolate and sweets(+0.3% after -0.3% last month)," the Institute informs.

Conversely, the fall in the prices of bread and cereal (-1.2% after -0.5% last month) has sharpened. The fall in the prices of milk, cheese and eggs (-1.1% after -3.7% last month), meat (-1.8% after -3.7% last month) and oils and fats (-0.4% after -0.8% last month) have also slowed down.

S.A.