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The consumer price index or inflation continued to hover around double digits for the third month in a row.

According to a price analysis published by Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), inflation has surged to a whopping 12 percent in the first seven months of the current fiscal year.

The augmentation in inflation is making it tough for consumers to meet the daily needs with the rise in price of daily essential commodities.

The prices of almost all essential commodities have skyrocketed. The price of sugar and sugar related products have increased by a whopping 77.6 percent.

The NRB data shows price indices of spices, pulses, meat, fish and eggs as well as vegetables and fruits sub-groups rose by 36.7 percent, 36.4 percent, 22.7 and 18.8 percent respectively in the review period. Similarly, grains and cereal products price also saw an increment of 13.0 percent.

The consumers of hilly regions have been severely hit by the price rise. The price index of hilly areas rose by 13 percent followed by 12.3 percent in Terai and 10.8 percent in Kathmandu Valley.

Overall price inflation has declined to 14.2 percent from 16 percent. The indices of agricultural commodities and domestic manufactured commodities rose by 25.0 percent and 11.2 percent respectively in the review period as compared to 18.8 percent and 11.2 percent a year ago.

The price index of imported commodities declined by 0.5 percent whereas it increased by 11.8 percent during the same period of last year.

Within the agricultural commodities group, the price index of pulses, livestock production and spices increased by 36.4 percent, 35.2 percent and 33.8 percent as compared to an increase of 19.0 percent, 24.0 percent and 10.3 percent during the same period last year. nepalnews.com