In April, the consumer price index (CPI) increased only 0.05 percent despite a recent rise in petrol price, representing the lowest rise in three years and the smallest April rise during the past eight years, the General Statistics Office (GSO) announced on April 23.
The index this month increased 10.54 percent over the same period last year.
The low increase of CPI was due to sharp declines in prices of food and food stuff, which accounted for 40 percent of the goods basket.
Prices of restaurants and catering services were down 0.8 percent. Of which, prices of grains decreased 1.69 percent and food stuff, 0.87 percent over March, with rice prices falling sharply thanks to abundant supplies, as provinces in the Cuu Long ( Mekong ) Delta region reaped a bumper autumn-winter crop.
Prices of essential foodstuff continued to decrease due to economic difficulties and abundant supplies. Pork prices decreased 3.57 percent and chicken, 0.93 percent, and vegetables, 1.49 percent over last month.
In April, prices of housing and construction materials decreased 0.44 percent. Gas price, especially, went down 4.43 percent as the price in the world market dropped by 212.5 USD per tonne to 992.5 USD in March.
Also in April, gold prices decreased 2.62 percent over March, thanks to the Government policies on managing production and trading of gold.
The price for the US dollar also decreased 0.07 percent compared with last month.
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