KINGSTON, Jamaica — Increases in electricity and household rental rates and a decline in prices for vegetables, tubers, plantains and cooking bananas have resulted in the All-Jamaica Consumer Price Index (CPI) for March 2025 remaining unchanged at 141.8, the same as the index recorded in February 2025.

This is according to the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) in its latest CPI Survey, which was released on Monday.

“This was primarily due to the movements in the index of the ‘Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels’ (2.4 per cent), ‘Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages’ (-1.0 per cent) and the ‘Transport’ (-0.2 per cent) divisions,” said STATIN.

It said the 2.4 per cent increase in the index for the “Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels” division was largely influenced by increases in electricity and household rental rates.

Conversely, the index for the “Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages” division declined by 1.0 per cent, primarily driven by a 4.9 per cent decrease in the index for the class “Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses”.

STATIN said the index for the “Transport” division recorded a 0.2 per cent decline, largely due to reduced petrol prices.

Meanwhile, the point-to-point inflation rate (March 2024 to March 2025) was 5.0 per cent. This was influenced mainly by the point-to-point inflation rate for the divisions: “Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages” (7.4 per cent), “Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels” (5.1 per cent) and “Restaurants and Accommodation Services” (6.2 per cent).

The CPI measures changes in the general level of prices for consumer goods and services purchased by private households.