The contribution to the monthly decrease of 0.3 per cent in the Index came mainly from price decreases in the sub category of Food and non alcoholic beverages (0.7 per cent).

Within the Food sub category, prices of almost all varieties of vegetables, coconut, coconut oil, rice and red onions declined due to improvements in supply, while prices of big onions, fruits, eggs, chicken, sugar, potatoes and large fish increased.

However, prices in the sub categories of Clothing and footwear (1.1 per cent); Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels (0.1 per cent); Furnishing, household equipment and routine household maintenance (0.1 per cent); and miscellaneous goods and services (0.5 per cent) increased.

Meanwhile, the prices in the sub categories of Transport; Recreation and culture; Communication; and Education remained unchanged during the month, Central Bank said.