The inflation rate for May 2023, in particular for food products group (vegetables and fresh fruit) should record a remarkable decrease due to the abundance of supply, said director of the Observatory of Prices and Supply at the Ministry of Trade and Export Development, Ramzi Trabelsi.

He told TAP the expected drop in the prices of vegetables and fresh fruit is the result of the increase in the supply of these products, especially in May and in the coming months.

Inflation eased down to 10.1% in April-June, from 10.3% in March, according to the National Statistics Institute (INS).

Trabelsi believes that there is a downward trend in inflation for the second consecutive month, noting that the consumer price index decreased by 0.2 points in April 2023.

Similarly, most of the baskets that make up the index recorded a slowdown in prices compared to the same period of the previous year on a monthly basis (March-April 2023 compared to March-April 2022).

About the market supply in mid-May and June, the official estimated that the increase in the supply of fresh agricultural products will continue on the one hand, and the prices of several vegetables and fruits (potato, pepper, tomato, onion, cucumber, courgette, apricot, peach, watermelon, melon …) will continue to decrease, on the other hand.

On the general supply situation, the official said the first week of May 2023 saw a clear improvement in the availability of most agricultural products compared to the same period in April 2023.

In this regard, he pointed out that the total quantities of agricultural products in the wholesale market of Bir Kasaa reached about 6,472 tons, up 16% (vegetables +17% and fruits +19%) compared to the first week of April 2023. This had an impact on wholesale and retail prices, recorded during the first week of May, since a remarkable drop was noted in the prices of agricultural products to varying degrees.

According to the data of the observatory, the average prices of vegetables have dropped by 2 to 64% at the wholesale level and between 1 and 63% at the retail level. This price decline concerned seasonal onions (more than 20%), potatoes (19%), sweet peppers (between 16 and 26%), hot peppers (more than 50%), cucumbers (60%), and courgettes (between 28 and 44%).

On the other hand, the prices of tomatoes, fennel and carrots have increased by more than 20%.

The average prices of certain fruits have also fallen by between 2 and 28% at wholesale level and by between 3 and 13% at retail level, in particular strawberries (between 22 and 28%), with the downward trend continuing for most seasonal and summer fruits. On the other hand, average prices for citrus fruits have increased as their season is coming to an end.

As regards white meat and eggs, poultry meat prices fell by 4% at the slaughterhouse level and by around 2% at the retail level. Egg prices also fell by 5% at the producer level and by 1% at the retail level, while the price of turkey cutlets remained stable.

Red meat prices were unchanged in April.

As for fishery products, prices fell by between 3 and 10% at retail level, covering most species.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse