Mérida, Apr 14 (EFE().- Inflation moderated to 2.9% year-on-year in Extremadura in March, three tenths below the rate registered in February, but continued the food escalationwith an increase of 19.3% compared to a year ago.
At the national level, prices fell to 3.3% year-on-year in March, 2.7 points below the February rate, due to the decrease in electricity and fuel prices compared to the strong increases registered in March 2022 after the beginning of the Ukrainian war.
According to the data published this Friday by the National Institute of Statistics (INE), the Consumer Price Index (CPI) has fallen by 0.1% so far this year in Extremadura.
The province of Badajoz, more expensive than that of Cáceres
By province, prices stood at 3% year-on-year in Badajoz, while in Cáceres they increased by 2.7, after a monthly variation of 0.4 and 0.2%, respectively.
By sectors, in the annual rate, food and non-alcoholic beverages became more expensive, with 19.3%, followed by Alcoholic beverages and tobacco (8.2%), Others (6.1%) and Household goods (5.5%). %).
Prices also increased in Hotels, cafes and restaurants (2.6%), Communications (2.2%), Clothing and footwear (1.9%), Education (1.7%), Leisure and Culture (1.2 %) and Medicine (0.3%).
They only fell in Housing, 21.4% and in Transportation (6.1%).
In the monthly comparison, prices increased in Clothing and footwear (2.9%), Alcoholic beverages and tobacco (1.6%), Others (0.8%) Hotels, cafes and restaurants (0.6%), Household items (0.5%) and Leisure and Culture (0.4%).
They remained stable in Medicine and Education, and fell in four sectors: Housing (-2.7%), Transport (-0.3%) and Communications and Alcoholic beverages and tobacco, one tenth in both cases.
Unions
Workers Commissions has urged the Government to “put a limit” on the prices of basic products for people’s lives because it is “a real savagery” what is happening with food, with an annual rise close to 20 percent.
“You have to put a limit to this, the employers cannot be taking it in this shameless way and especially in the food sector,” said the union’s regional secretary, Encarna Chacón.
For his part, UGT has pointed out has insisted this Friday on the need to protect and regain purchasing power of households in Extremadura, who have seen their savings capacity reduced, enduring great difficulties to make it through the month.
For this reason, he has affirmed that he will continue to demand that salary income be adjusted to the current cost of living, not only to avoid the impoverishment of working people, but also to maintain and promote economic activity and the creation of quality employment in Extremadura.