Consumer prices increase 7.1 percent, both imports and domestic exports up 16.7 percent and 39.4 percent respectively in September 2022

Results from the Statistical Institute of Belize's monthly Consumer Price Index (CPI) survey showed that, for the month of September 2022, the All-Items CPI, which summarizes price levels across all categories of consumer goods and services, stood at 112.0, up from 104.6 in September 2021.

The year-to-date inflation rate for the first nine months of 2022, when compared to the same period in 2021, stood at 6.2 percent. The 'Transport' category, with a year-to-date inflation rate of 19.1 percent, was directly responsible for more than a half of the overall increase in consumer prices for the nine-month period, as considerably higher costs were seen across all types of motor vehicle fuels, as well as new motor vehicles, and passenger transport services.

Click the following link to read more: Consumer Price Index, September 2022

Merchandise Trade

Belize's total imports for the month of September 2022 were valued at $223.9 million. This was a significant increase of 16.7 percent or $32 million from imports for September 2021, which were valued at $191.9 million. Merchandise imports for the first nine months of this year, January to September 2022, amounted to $1.992 billion, representing a 32.5 percent or $488.2 million increase from the same period last year, when imports totaled $1.503 billion.

Total domestic exports for the month of September 2022 amounted to $54 million, representing a 39.4 percent or $15.2 million increase when compared to exports for September 2021, which were valued at $38.7 million. Merchandise exports for the period January to September 2022 totaled $383.4 million, up 14.6 percent or $48.8 million from $334.6 million for the same period last year.

Click the following link to read more: External Trade, September 2022