Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- In December 2022, the average price level in the consumer market of Uzbekistan increased by 1.2%, the State Statistics Committee of Uzbekistan said.

In 2022, the increase in prices in the consumer sector reached 12.3% with an average monthly value of 1.0%

The leader in price growth for the month in December 2022 was food products, which increased in price by an average of 1.7%. The increase in prices for goods in this group was 0.5 points higher than the increase in the aggregate indicator. Non-food products over the same period increased in price by 0.8%, services - by 1.1%.

In terms of price growth for the whole of 2022, food products are leading by a significant margin (15.6% with an average monthly increase of 1.2%). Non-food products rose in price by 10.7% over the year, with an average monthly increase of 0.9%. The increase in prices for paid services for 2022 reached 8.4% with an average monthly value of 0.7%.

In December 2022, the key inflationary factor in the short term, taking into account the specific weight, was the increase in food prices. With a general increase in their prices for the month by 1.7%, their contribution to the increase in the consolidated indicator reached +0.71 percentage points, which is 57.7% of the total impact of the observed goods and services.

The share of non-food products, which rose in price by 0.8% over the month, accounted for 22.0% of the total impact. Due to rising prices in this group, the consolidated CPI rose by 0.27 percentage points over the month.

The contribution of rising prices for services was the smallest among the three main groups and reached 0.25 p.p. (20.3%).

The dominant contribution to the growth of the consolidated CPI as a whole for 2022 belongs to food products, which, having risen in price by an average of 15.6%, increased the consolidated CPI by 6.60 p.p. Thus, the share of goods in this group accounted for 53.9% of the total impact.

In December 2022, from the main sections of COICOP 2018 of Rep. of Uzbekistan, sections XI. were in the top three in terms of price growth for the month. "Restaurants and hotel services" (2.5%), VII. "Transport" (2.2%) and I. "Food and non-alcoholic drinks" (1.7%).

The top three in terms of price growth for 2022 included the following sections: "Restaurants and hotel services"(23,6%); "Healthcare"(16,7%); "Food and soft drinks"(15,4%).

In December 2022, vegetables, tubers and grains and legumes (7.6%) became the leaders in terms of price growth for the month.

The second position belongs to milk, dairy products and eggs, which increased in price by 2.9% over the month.

The top three leaders in price growth are finished food products and other food products, which have become more expensive by 1.3% over the month.

At the same time, in December 2022, a decrease in prices for oil and fat products (-0.4%) was recorded, which was due to a decrease in prices for vegetable oils (by an average of 1.4%).

The top three in terms of price growth in 2022 included cereals (31.3%), sugar, confectionery and desserts (24.6%), milk, dairy products and eggs (19.1%). 

In addition, soft drinks (13.4%), vegetables, tubers and legumes (12.9%), fish and other seafood (12.0%) went up significantly.

The average fruit and nut price level in December 2022 remained 5.7% lower than at the end of 2021.

Cucumbers and tomatoes became the leaders in price growth in the last month of 2022, having risen in price by 23.9% and 23.8%, respectively. The most tangible price reduction in December 2022 was noted for citrus fruits (within 7.3-13.9%).

In terms of price growth in annual terms, onion is leading by a significant margin, having become a little less than 2 times more expensive in a year. Garlic holds the lead in reducing prices in annual terms. In 2022, it became cheaper by 26.7%.

Among the commodity groups included in section I. "Food and nonalcoholic beverages", the most significant contribution to the growth of the consolidated CPI was made by the increase in prices for vegetables, tubers and legumes (0.35 p.p. out of 0.67 p.p.). The limiting factor was the decline in prices for fat and oil products, due to which the consolidated indicator fell by 0.02 p.p.

The most significant contribution to the growth of the consolidated CPI for 2022 among the groups of goods included in section I. "Food and nonalcoholic beverages" was made by an increase in prices for cereals. Due to the growth in prices for goods of this group, the consolidated CPI for the year increased by 2.57 percentage points. The limiting factor was the decline in prices for fruits and nuts, which allowed the consolidated CPI to drop by 0.25 percentage points.

Of the main types of utilities, an increase in tariffs in December 2022 was recorded only for services for the removal of household waste (0.8%), which is associated with an increase in fees for this type of service in Jizzakh region by 25.0%.

In December 2022, the most tangible increase in prices for the month was noted for goods and services used in connection with housekeeping (1.8%). Among them, detergents and cleaning products (2.1%) have risen most significantly in price. The same group is the leader in price growth in general for 2022 (18.2%). Detergents and cleaning products included in it (by 1.2 times), as well as services for cleaning carpets and rugs (by 18.5%) increased most significantly.

Medicines in December 2022 rose in price by 2.5%, medical products - by 1.2%, ancillary products - by 0.8%. This provided the Medicines and Medical Products group with the lead in terms of price growth in the last month of the year. In general, in 2022, outpatient dental services (21.8%), medicines (by 19.1% on average), as well as medical laboratory services (18.9%) have risen in price more than others.

From the goods and services of the "Transport" section in December of this year, air passenger transport services (11.3%) became the leaders in terms of price growth for the month. The cost of air tickets to observed destinations in international traffic increased by 15.1%, domestic - by 4.0%. Road transport services rose in price by 7.8% over the month, which was due to an increase in tariffs for taxi services (by an average of 12.5% in the republic). At the same time, the decrease in gasoline prices (-7.7%) served as a deterrent. The leadership in terms of price growth in annual terms belongs to courier services (1.4 times).

The average level of prices for information and communication equipment increased by 0.5% over the month, including the most significant price increase for peripheral equipment and its consumable components (1.1%). The leader in price growth in 2022 was also peripheral equipment and its consumable components, which became more expensive by 9.1%.

Of the services in the field of informatization in December of this year, an increase in prices was recorded only for the repair of information and communication equipment (1.3%). This type of service is also the leader in price growth in general for 2022 (14.1%). Complex telecommunication services for this period became more expensive by 5.0%, mobile communication services became cheaper by 3.0%.

In December 2022, services for printing invitations and postcards (1.4%), as well as gardening products (by 1.1% on average) increased more than others in this section. Books, newspapers and stationery became the leaders in terms of price growth in annual terms, having added 29.8% in price in JanuaryDecember 2022. At the same time, the main increase in prices fell on paper products. Thus, A4 paper has risen in price by 1.8 times, school notebooks - by 1.6 times, sketchbooks - by 1.3 times.

The superiority in price growth among educational services in December 2022 was shared by services for training in language and other educational courses, as well as tuition fees in non-state universities on a contract basis (an increase of 1.3%). In general, in 2022, tuition in educational courses became more expensive by 12.6%, which ensured leadership in price growth for the year among the services of the section. This is followed by the services of tutors, which increased in price by 7.0%. Closes the top three services of private preschool educational organizations (4.5%).

The price situation in the observed insurance services market has remained stable over the past three years. In the financial services market in December this year, an increase in prices was recorded, which averaged 0.2%. This is due to an increase in fees for money transfers by an average of 0.6%. During 2022, the services of banking institutions became more expensive by 6.6%, the fee for money transfers increased by 3.8%, and the most significant price increase was recorded for services for transferring funds through electronic payment systems (17.7%).

In December 2022, hairdressing services became the leader in price growth among household goods and services (1.2%). The most significant increase in prices in annual terms was also recorded for hairdressing services (26.7%).

Among other items and services for personal use, wedding rings and wristwatches rose the most during the month (1.1% each). Watch repair services lead in price growth in 2022 (14.3%).

In December, for the first time, a decrease in prices was registered in the group of other services (-14.3%). This was affected by a decrease in prices for legal services (-30.6%), which, in turn, was due to a decrease in the amount of duty on registration of motor vehicles. In terms of price growth in annual terms, photocopying services are leading (by 1.3 times).