Today, the Statistical Institute of Belize published its latest statistics on the consumer price index and external trade for the country of Belize.
Consumer Price Index
Figures released by the Institute show that the All-Items Consumer Price Index for August 2018 stood at 105.4, an increase of 1 percent from 104.4 in August 2017. On average, during this month in 2018, the prices of goods and services regularly purchased by Belizean households were 1 percent higher than they were in the same month of 2017. For the first eight months of the year 2018, a year to date inflation rate of 0.2 percent was recorded.
Click the following link to read more: Consumer Price Index, August 2018
Merchandise Trade
In August 2018, Belize imported goods valuing $172.5 million. This represented a 16.1 percent or $24 million increase from the same month last year. A significant increase in goods destined for the ‘Commercial Free Zones’, coupled with greater purchases across most commodity categories led to the considerable growth in imports for the month. Imports into the ‘Commercial Free Zones’ surged by 71 percent or $12 million, from just below $17 million in August 2017 to a little over $29 million in August 2018, as cigarette purchases for the month doubled, while imports of handbags and clothing also rose noticeably. Merchandise imports for the first eight months of the year, January to August 2018, amounted to $1.3 billion, representing a 5.4 percent or $64.4 million increase from the same period last year.
The total value of Belize’s domestic exports for the month of August 2018 was $22.9 million, up 1.1 percent from the $22.7 million recorded for August 2017. Revenues from exports of bananas fell from $6.8 million in August of last year to $6.3 million in August 2018, while exports of bagged sugar were almost unchanged, declining minimally from just over $0.5 million to a little over $0.6 million. Exports of marine products, on the other hand, grew from almost $4 million during last August to $4.6 million in August of this year, as the month saw improved sales of both lobster tails and shrimp. Earnings from citrus products rose from $4.2 million to $4.8 million, owing mostly to increased exports of orange concentrate. Merchandise exports for the period January to August 2018 totalled $281.8 million, down 13.9 percent or $45.6 million from the same period last year.
Click the following link to read more: External Trade, August 2018
