The rise in the price of urban semi-collective transport last February, by three Meticais, in the Greater Maputo Metropolitan area, has further increased the high cost of living in Mozambique.

Data from the National Statistics Institute (INE) show that last March, the general increase in the price of goods and services (or inflation) was around 1.33% (compared to 0.97% in the previous month), with a contribution from the increase in the price of semi-collective passenger transport (chapa).

Looking at the monthly change by product, INE found an increase in the price of semi-collective urban passenger transport (6.0%), corn grain (10.9%), cabbage (9.6%), lettuce (15.3%), nhemba beans (13.9%), tomatoes (4.2%) and butter beans (2.9%). These contributed around 0.83 pp to the total monthly change.

However, the statistical authority found that some products, in particular edible oil (0.9%), coconut (1.5%), miscellaneous material for home maintenance and repair (1.4%), fresh shrimp (6,0%), lemons (12.9%), capulanas (0.4%) and men's shirts (2.2%) bucked the trend of rising prices by contributing around 0.11 pp to the total monthly change.

As a result of the rise in the price of passenger transport (and more), accumulated inflation in March also soared, closing the first quarter of 2023 at 3.32%, compared to 1.96% in February. As a result of the greater increase in March, annual inflation also rose considerably to 10.82%, up from 10.30% in February.

Analyzing the monthly variation by the eight collection centers, which served as a reference for the country's price variation, the National Statistical Authority noted that, in March, all the cities had a positive variation compared to February.

Quelimane City stood out with an increase of 3.20%, followed by Maxixe and Inhambane with 2.28%, Tete with 2.05%, Maputo with 1.73%, Xai-Xai with 0.33%, Chimoio with 0.31%, Nampula with 0.13%, and finally Beira City with 0.06%. (Letter)