ASTANA, Kazakhstan, August 1. The annual inflation rate in Kazakhstan decreased to 14 percent in July 2023, compared to 14.6 percent in June 2023, Trend reports.
According to the country's Bureau of National Statistics, on a monthly basis, the inflation rate rose by 0.6 percent, slightly higher than the previous month's increase of 0.5 percent.
The prices of essential food items saw a year-on-year increase of 13.5 percent in July 2023, showing a slight decline from the 14.6 percent recorded in June 2023. Non-food items experienced a year-on-year price surge of 15 percent, compared to 15.8 percent in the preceding month. The costs of paid services rose by 13.6 percent, slightly surpassing the 13.3 percent recorded in June 2023.
A closer look at specific items reveals significant price hikes compared to July of the previous year. Notably, rice prices witnessed a sharp increase of 44.3 percent, while cabbage rose by 27.5 percent. The cost of mineral water surged by 25.9 percent, followed by sour cream at 22.4 percent.
Analyzing the regional breakdown, the highest inflation rates exceeding the national average were observed in Astana, Ulytau, North Kazakhstan Region - 15.4 percent. These are followed by Akmola (14.7 percent), Magnystau (14.6 percent), Zhetysu (14.3 percent) regions and Almaty city (14.2 percent).