ISLAMABAD, Nov 23: The Sensitive Price Index-based inflation slightly fell by 0.07pc for the week ending on Nov 22 as compared to previous week largely driven by fall in perishable food items prices.

The declining trend in inflation is mainly driven by slight deceleration in prices of onion, banana, pulses, diesel and kerosene during the week under review, suggested data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) released on Friday.

With better weather conditions, arrival of food items has started, resultantly easing out prices of essential commodities.

Out of 53 items, prices of 15 items registered increase while prices of 14 items decreased and 24 items prices remained unchanged as compared to the previous week.

For the lowest income group up to Rs8,000, the SPI witnessed a decrease of 0.14pc during the week under review over previous week.

The lowest decrease in inflation was recorded in the top income group of Rs35,000 and above as inflation for this group decreased 0.03pc over the previous week.

However, as compared to the corresponding week of last year, SPI for the combined group in the week under review witnessed an increase of 6.48pc.

The food items which recorded an increase are tomatoes 2.05pc, eggs 0.67pc, potatoes 0.61pc, vegetable ghee 0.48pc, rice basmati broken 0.42pc, wheat 0.30pc, milk fresh 0.23pc, curd 0.20pc, ghee (tin) 0.11pc, and mutton 0.02pc.

The non-food items which recorded an increase are lawn 0.61pc, cigarettes 0.53pc, LPG 11 kg cylinder 0.35pc, and firewood 0.04pc, respectively.

The PBS report observed that population growth rate in Pakistan is 2.03pc, whereas animal growth rate is 3.7pc, so we have surplus animals for export. However, despite the surplus the price of meat is on the rise in major cities of the country.

To control prices of items in local markets, Khyber Pakhthunkhwa government has assigned the first class magistrate powers to all district food controllers to maintain price stability in the province.

The Punjab government has appointed 352 magistrates in the province to control prices and they have collected approximately fines of Rs600,000 from shopkeepers who were violating the price list.

The prices of items which declined are rice-irri-6, bread plain, beef, milk powder, mustard oil, cooking oil, salt powdered, tea, cooked beef plate, cooked dal plate, tea prepared, long cloth, shirting, georgette, sandal gents, chappal, sandal ladies, electricity charges, gas charges, energy saver, washing soap, match box, telephone local call and bath soap lifebuoy.