17 Jan 2005

Samoa Central Bank says November 2004 inflation reached 14.6 percent

2:11 pm on 17 January 2005

Latest figures show that Samoa's inflation rate reached 14.6% in November last year.

The country's Central Bank reports that the consumer price index rose almost one per cent in November last year reflecting higher prices for food in the local market caused by reduced supplies of taro, banana, taamu (giant taro) and some vegetables.

The bank also says there was a deficit of almost half a million US dollars last November as export earnings and remittances decreased considerably.

Remittances plunged 44% to just under 5 million dollars after the usual high associated with White Sunday celebrations.

However, tourism earnings recorded a 25 per cent rise coming in at a similar figure.

Net foreign assets declined 1% to just over 74 million US dollars in November 2004, an amount that covers just 5.2 months of imports.