China's consumer price index (CPI) rose 8.5 per cent year-on-year in April, up from 8.3 per cent in March, the National Bureau of Statistics said today.
In the first four months, CPI rose 8.2 per cent, the NBS said. In the first quarter of 2008, CPI rose 8 per cent.
The high level of growth in April was due to a low base from a year earlier, with international grain prices also high, the NBS said.
The NBS said the inflation figures mean that the government will have to pay more attention to price controls.
Food prices rose 22.1 per cent year-on-year last month while non-food prices were up 1.8 per cent. Consumer goods prices rose 10.6 per cent year-on-year, with services prices up 1.7 per cent.
Grain prices in April were up 7.4 per cent from a year earlier, egg prices were up 3.6 per cent. Meat and poultry prices rose 47.9 per cent, up from the 45.8 per cent growth rate in March.
Seafood product prices were up 16.1 per cent, fresh vegetable prices rose 13.6 per cent and fresh fruit prices were up 12.1 per cent. Tobacco product prices were up 0.3 per cent in April while spirits prices rose 7.1 per cent.
Household services and maintenance costs rose 2.7 per cent while prices for medical care and personal utilities rose 3.6 per cent. Western medicine prices were up 1.1 per cent, while traditional Chinese medicine prices rose 9.9 per cent.
Urban transportation costs rose 0.3 per cent, while communications costs fell 19.7 per cent. Recreation, education and culture and related services prices fell 0.7 per cent.
Agencies