Data published by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) revealed that the overall Producer Price Index (PPI) for Palestine increased sharply by 3.18% in May 2016 in comparison with April 2016, reaching 101.94%, while the PPI was 98.80% in April 2016.

The overall Producer Price Index (PPI) for Palestine with its base month (December 2015=100) reached 101.94 in May 2016, as it increased by 3.18% compared to April 2016.

The Producer Price Index for locally consumed products (December 2015=100) reached 102.04 in May 2016, which indicates an increase by 3.38% in comparison with April 2016.

Additionally, the Producer Price Index for local exported products (December 2015=100) reached 101.05 in May 2016, which indicates an increase by 1.31% in comparison with April 2016.

The prices of agriculture, forestry, and fishing goods increased by 4.11% and formed 25.20% of the goods basket. The increase in their prices resulted from the increase in the prices of permanent crops by 9.81%; the prices of apples and stone fruits increased by 20.29%.

The prices of goods within the temporary cropping activity also increased by 1.61%, due to the increase in the prices of vegetables, melons, tubers and root vegetables by 2.10%. Additionally, the prices of products within the fishing activity increased by 2.58%.

The prices of goods within the animal production activity increased by 4.72%, due to the increase in the prices of poultry farming by 5.89% and the prices of ranching sheep and goats by 4.30%.

Moreover, the prices within the activities of electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply increased by 18.80%, and formed 11.17% of the goods basket.

The prices within the mining and quarrying activity increased by 2.17% and formed 2.24% of the goods basket.

As for the prices within the water supply, sewerage, waste management and remediation activities, they increased by 1.10% and formed 0.78% of the goods basket.

However, the prices within the manufacturing activity decreased slightly by 0.02% and formed 60.61% of the goods basket.

 This decrease resulted from the drop in the prices of some types of concrete, gypsum, and cement by 2.32%, the prices of wheat mill products by 2.31%, the prices of dairy products by 1.27%, the prices of textiles by 1.04%, and the prices of metal products (excluding equipment and machinery) by 0.47%.

On the other hand, there was an increase in the prices of manufacturing animal fodder by 1.43%, the prices of oils and plant and animal fats by 1.25%, the prices of rubber and plastic products by 1.19%, and the prices of furniture by 0.84%.

(Palestine Economy Portal)