PHOTO
Muscat, Oman - May 26, 2023: Various fresh vegetables and fruits on the shelves of a grocery supermarket in the capital Muscat. Sultanate of Oman. Image used for illustrative purpose Getty Images
Oman’s consumer prices inched higher in November, driven by the rising costs of basic commodities, according to data from the National Centre for Statistics and Information.
Inflation for the month ticked up by 0.5% compared to a year ago, with vegetable prices rising by 11%, dairy goods like eggs, cheese and milk up by 5.4%, fruits by 4.7%, and several kitchen staples like sugar, fats, oils, as well as honey, jams, chocolates and candies by 2.4%.
Overall, the miscellaneous goods and services category recorded an annual change of 5.5%, while health posted a 3.2% growth, and food and non-alcoholic beverages rose by 1.9%.
Restaurants, hotels, recreation and culture registered a minimal growth of 0.7%.
Transport-related costs, however, fell by 2.8%, while the prices of housing and utilities were stable.
(Writing by Cleofe Maceda; editing by Bindu Rai)