Consumer prices in Togo recorded a decrease of 0.8% in August 2020 compared to the previous month, according to the National Institute of Statistics and Economic and Demographic Studies (INSEED).

According to this structure, the National Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (INHPC) stood at 105.7 compared to 106.5 in July 2020. This index had recorded an increase of 0.6% at the end of July.

" This decrease is mainly due to the decline in the indices of the consumption  functions Food and non-alcoholic beverages  (-2.1%),  Housing, water, gas, electricity and other fuels  (-0.5%),  Communication (-0.2%) and Transport (-0.1%), " explains INSEED.

The decline in the overall index is, however, mitigated by the increase in the level of the tobacco and narcotics  index (+1.0%) and by the quasi-stability of the indices for the Restaurants and Hotels (+0.1%),  Miscellaneous  goods and services (+0.1%) functions.   Health (+0.1%),  Leisure and culture  (+0.2%) and  Education  (+0.1%).

INSSED notes that the decline in the index for the Food and non-alcoholic beverages  function is supported by the decline in the indices for tubers and plantain  (-19.4%), 

Fresh vegetables in fruit or root (-19.5%), Citrus fruits  (-14.3%),  Fish and other dried or smoked  products (-2.9%),  Salt, spices, sauces and food products (-6.1%), Fresh fish (-8.7%) and  other fats  (-4.0%).

According to INSEED, the largest contributions to the decline in the index of the Housing, water, gas, electricity and other fuels  function are made by water  supply (-3.0%),  solid and other  fuels (-1.1%), liquid fuels  (-0.5%).

In the case of the Communication function, the decrease was attributable to the 14.1% fall in the postal services   index (-14.1%).

Transport , for its part, fell slightly as a result of the fall in the  indices for Fuels and lubricants  (-0.3%) and spare parts and accessories (-2.3%).

" In terms of the positive contributions of the indices of the items to the change in the overall index, underlines inseeD, the increase of 0.2% in the index of the item  Restaurants, cafes and similar  establishments has imprinted on the price index of the consumption function Restaurants and Hotels  the increase mentioned below ".

For the increase in the index for the Tobacco and Narcotics function,  the items contributing were  Wine and fermented  beverages (+0.9%) and  Beer (+0.4%).

 The price index for the consumer function "Health" also increased through price appreciation for traditional medicines.

Secondary  education services having increased by 0.3%, notes INSEED, it follows an appreciation of the price index of the Education function.

The change in the index for  receiving, recording and reproducing  equipment (+0.7%) contributed to the appreciation of the price index for the Leisure and Culture function . The items in the "Miscellaneous goods and services" function whose indices increased were Personal  care equipment and articles (+2.2%) and  Personal care products (0.4%).

According to INSEED, calculated excluding food products, the general price level has been almost stable (0.1%) at the national level.

Core inflation (monthly change in the index excluding energy, excluding fresh products) rose by 0.2%.

The price indices for energy products and those for  fresh  products fell by 0.3% and 3.7% respectively. In terms of provenance, the prices of "imported" products increased by 0.2%, while the prices of local  products  fell by 1.0%.

From the point of view of the sectoral classification, the fall in the general price level is due to the fall in the prices of products in the tertiary (-0.2%) and primary (-4.7%) sectors. However, it is cushioned by the 0.1% increase in the prices of secondary sector products.

In terms of sustainability, the decrease was due to lower prices for non-sustainable  products (-1.1%) and  services (-0.2%).

The general price level in August 2020 in Togo decreased by 0.9% in quarterly variation compared to the situation in May 2020. On the other hand, it grew by 2.4% year-on-year.

The inflation rate, calculated on the basis of the average indices of the last twelve months, at the national level is 0.9% in August 2020 against 0.7% the previous month.