March 18, 2025

The Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) reported that as at February 2025, the point-to-point inflation rate was +4.4%; 0.3 percentage points lower than the 4.7% recorded between January 2024 and January 2025. Compared to January 2025, The All-Jamaica Consumer Price Index (CPI) decreased by 0.9% for January 2025.

The main driver of the monthly decrease (-0.9%) was a 2.0% fall in the index for the ‘Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages’ division, primarily due to an 8.8% decrease in the ‘Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses’ class. Additionally, a 0.2% decrease in the ‘Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas, and Other Fuels’ category, attributed to lower electricity rates, contributed to the overall decline.

The All-Jamaica point-to-point inflation rate for the period February 2024 to February 2025 was 4.4%. The main contributors to this increase were the divisions: ‘Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages’ (+6.5%), ‘Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels’ (+3.5%), and ‘Restaurants and Accommodation Services’ (+6.2%).

The rise in the index for the ‘Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages’ division was primarily due to a 19.2% increase in the ‘Fruits and Nuts’ category and a 9.4% rise in the ‘Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas, and pulses’ category. Specifically, prices went up for ripe bananas, oranges, watermelons, and dried coconuts in the ‘Fruits and Nuts’ category, while the ‘Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas, and pulses’ category saw higher prices for plantains, carrots, yellow yam, green bananas, and cabbage.

The increase in the ‘Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas, and Other Fuels’ division was mainly driven by a 5.1% rise in the ‘Imputed Rentals for Housing’ group and a 2.3% increase in the ‘Electricity, Gas, and Other Fuels’ group. These increases were due to higher household rent and electricity rates, respectively.

In the ‘Restaurants and Accommodation Services’ division, the primary factor for the increase was higher prices for food purchased away from home. This led to a 6.1% rise in the index for the ‘Food and Beverage Serving Services’ group.

MAJOR CPI DIVISION MOVEMENTS

The index of the ‘Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages’ division decreased by 2.0% for February 2025. Within this division, the ‘Food’ group saw a 2.1% decline, while the ‘Non-Alcoholic Beverages’ group experienced a 0.3% increase. The drop in the ‘Food’ group was mainly due to an 8.8% decrease in the ‘Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas, and pulses’ category, driven by lower prices for items like cabbage, carrots, escallion, sweet peppers, tomatoes, and yams. Additionally, the ‘Ready-made foods and other food products n.e.c’ category saw a 3.3% decline. However, this decline was partially offset by increases in other categories, especially ‘Meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals’ (0.7%) and ‘Fish and Seafood’ (0.9%). In the ‘Non-Alcoholic Beverages’ group, the index for all three classes increased: ‘Water, Soft Drinks, and Other Non-Alcoholic Beverages’ (0.2%), ‘Fruit and Vegetable Juices’ (0.2%), and ‘Coffee, Tea, Cocoa’ (0.4%).

The point-to-point inflation rate for this division was 6.5%.

The index for the ‘Alcoholic Beverages, Tobacco and Narcotics’ division rose by 0.1%. The increase was due to a 0.2% increase in the index of the ‘Alcoholic Beverages’ group owing to a 0.2% increase in the classes ‘Spirits and liquors’, ‘Beer’ and ‘Wine’.

The point-to-point inflation rate for this division was 6.2%.

The index for the ‘Clothing and Footwear’ division increased by 0.1%. There was a 0.5% rise in the index of the ‘Clothing’ group, while the ‘Footwear’ group saw a 0.2% increase in its index.

The point-to-point inflation rate for this division was 3.4%.

The index for the ‘Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels’ division saw 0.2% decrease, mainly due to a 1.0% drop in the ‘Electricity, Gas, and Other Fuels’ group, which was driven by lower electricity rates. However, this overall decline was tempered by increases in the index for the groups ‘Maintenance, Repair and Security of the Dwelling’ (2.0%) and ‘Water Supply and Miscellaneous Services Relating to the welling’ (1.0%). The increase in the index for the former group was influenced by increases in the fees charged by carpenters, masons, painters, plumbers and electricians, while the latter group’s index was impacted by higher water and sewage rates.

The point-to-point inflation rate for this division was 3.5%.

The index for the ‘Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance’ division rose by 0.1%. The primary driver was the ‘Goods and Services for Routine Household Maintenance’ group, which saw a 0.1% increase due to higher prices for certain household cleaning products. Other groups also experienced increases, notably ‘Household Appliances’ (0.3%) and ‘Furniture, Furnishings and Loose Carpets’ (0.2%).

The point-to-point inflation rate was 4.8%.

The index for the ‘Health’ division increased by 0.6%. This rise was primarily driven by a 0.7% increase in the ‘Medicines and Health Products’ group, due to higher prices for prescription medicines such as antibiotics, contraceptive pills, and asthma inhalers. Additionally, the ‘Outpatient Care Services’ group saw a 0.3% increase, mainly due to higher fees for gynecologists.

The point-to-point inflation rate was 4.7%.

The index for the ‘Transport’ division fell slightly. There was a 0.1% decrease in the index of the group ‘Operation of personal Transport Equipment’ due to lower petrol prices. This decline was offset by a 0.1% increase in the ‘Purchase of Vehicles’ group and a 0.2% rise in the ‘Transport Services of Goods’ group, driven by higher costs for motor vehicles and courier fees, respectively.

The point-to-point inflation rate was 0.4%.

The index for the ‘Information and Communication’ division declined by 5.9%. This was due to rate adjustments for telecommunication services.

The point-to-point inflation rate was -7.1%.

The index for ‘Recreation, Sport and Culture’ division increased by 0.1%. This rise was mainly driven by a 0.1% increase in the ‘Newspapers, Books, and Stationery’ group and a 0.4% increase in the index for the ‘Garden Products and Pets’ group.

The point-to-point inflation rate was 3.4%.

The index for ‘Restaurants and Accommodation Services’ division increased by 0.1%. This was influenced primarily by higher prices for meals away from home.

The point-to-point inflation rate was 6.2%.

The index for the ‘Personal Care, Social Protection and Miscellaneous Good and Services’ division rose by 0.3%. This increase was primarily due to a 0.3% rise in the ‘Personal Care’ group, driven by higher prices for services at hairdressing salons and personal grooming establishments.

The point-to-point inflation rate was 3.4%.

Individual divisions saw the following changes:

1. Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages: (-2.0%)
2. Alcoholic Beverages, Tobacco and Narcotics: (+0.1%)
3. Clothing and Footwear: (+0.3%)
4. Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels: (-0.2%)
5. Furnishing, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance: (+0.1%)
6. Health: (+0.6%)
7. Transport: (+0.0%)
8. Information and Communication: (+5.9%)
9. Recreation, Sport, and Culture: (+0.1%)
10.   Restaurants and Accommodation Services: (+0.1%)
11.   Personal Care, Social Protection and Miscellaneous Goods and Services: (+0.3%)