Food inflation in Bohol

at -2.3 percent in May

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol (PIA)—With still a -2.3 percent rate of food inflation in May this year, life of Boholanos may be a tad better than it was in May last year.

May 2024 food inflation registered 9.1 percent.

This, despite an onslaught of unfavourable factors that has triggered price movements in major food options here.

“Slow price movements in Rice and Corn which comprise a big portion of the family budget played well for Boholanos. Rice, with an inflation rate of -16.8 moved to -15.8 in May while corn which was -20.0 percent in April rolled to -18.9 percent in May,” points out Philippine Statistics Authority supervising statistician Jessamyn Anne Alcazaren during the recent monthly Inflation Rate data dissemination.

The PSA which sends enumerators to monitor price increases in basic commodities all over major markets in Bohol noted “a lower inflation noted in vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses at -11.5 percent in May from 3.9 percent in April, and ready-made food and other Food products from 1.3 in April to 0.2 percent in May.”

With lower inflation in these food items, these may have helped trim food inflation here, as conditions have become un-favorable lately.

In April, PSA reports that the rate of inflation in meat and other parts of slaughtered animals was 10.6 percent, which crept to 10.8 by May, with the fiesta season and the continuing uncertainty brought by the threat of African Swine Fever (ASF) in some family pig farms.

For fish and other seafoods, aside from the changing culture of seafoods over meat in fiestas, the warming oceans brought by the peak of summer driving fishes away to deeper and cooler waters could have floored the inflation rate from 4.7 percent in April to 8.2 percent in May.

Consequently, hotter climates mean animals and livestock tend to be in the shades, and production of milk and eggs could be affected that from 6.3 percent price inflation in April, milk and other dairy products and eggs surged to 10.8 percent in May. (PIABohol)

STILL BEHAVING. Inflation rate in Bohol continued to be better as price movements remained at little increments, according to PSA Bohol supervising statistician Jessamyne Anne Alcazaren. The price may have stirred but not necessarily shaken the costs of basic commodities despite unfavourable conditions. PIA Bohol)