Statistical Center Claims: Price of Bread, Meat, Dairy and Oil Rose Only 3 to 14 Percent

Iran’s Statistical Center claimed in its latest monthly inflation report that the price of red meat, milk, cheese and eggs in Ordibehesht month compared to Farvardin increased by approximately three percent, the price of bread and grains by seven percent, and the price of oil by less than 14 percent.

This comes as the government itself officially increased the price of flour tenfold, oil fourfold, and milk twofold last month.

The official prices of eggs and cheese increased significantly, with each carton of 30 eggs reaching 76,000 tomans, 400-gram packages of cheese reaching 38,000 tomans, and chicken prices climbing to 60,000 tomans per kilogram.

Furthermore, while state broadcaster IRIB reported on the 29th of Ordibehesht that Pakistani rice prices rose from 280,000 tomans per bag to 370,000 tomans per bag, and red meat from 150,000 tomans per kilogram to 175,000 tomans per kilogram, Iran’s Statistical Center claimed that red meat prices in Ordibehesht month compared to Farvardin increased by less than three percent.

Iranian officials had promised that price hikes would be limited only to dairy, poultry, oil and flour, but reports from domestic media indicate dramatic jumps in cereal prices, five to sixfold increases in livestock feed prices, rice, tea and other food items last month compared to Farvardin.

This is while the Statistical Center reports that the increase in food and beverage prices in Ordibehesht month compared to Farvardin this year was only 3.3 percent.

Official statistics of the Islamic Republic have always been viewed with skepticism by experts, and for instance, while both Iranian authorities, the Central Bank and domestic media report housing rent increases of over 50 percent in one year, Iran’s Statistical Center claimed a 30 percent increase in housing rent in Ordibehesht this year compared to the same month last year.

This official institution reported housing inflation at only 26 percent.

Annual Inflation

Iran’s Statistical Center in its new report stated annual food inflation for the 12 months ending in Ordibehesht at approximately 49.6 percent compared to the similar period before (annual inflation), and said that the pace of monthly inflation is decreasing.

This official institution reported annual inflation in Ordibehesht at 38.7 percent and said that since Shahrivar of last year, the monthly inflation rate has been on a declining trend.

The claim of declining inflation acceleration comes as the dollar exchange rate has climbed from 26,000 tomans since the beginning of this year to over 30,000 tomans, and Iranian officials have not explained why, when the Iranian rial has lost 15 percent of its value over the past two months, the pace of inflation has been declining.

Source: Radio Farda