Muscat: As per the price indices bulletin issued by the National Center for Statistics and Information, the primary groups witnessed increases at different rates in 2022, as the prices of housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels rose by 1.1 percent, transportation by 3.9 percent, food and non-alcoholic beverages by 5.2 percent, and clothes and footwear by 1.3 percent.

The prices of restaurants and hotels increased by 2.1 percent, furniture, household equipment and routine home maintenance by 1.3 percent, culture and entertainment by 1.6 percent, education by 3.8 percent, miscellaneous personal goods and services by 2.1 percent, health by 3.1 percent, and tobacco by 0.6 percent, while the prices of telecommunications stabilized.

In terms of commodities, oils and fats came as the largest commodities supporting the increase in general consumer price index in 2022 (by 16 percent), followed by fuel for personal transport vehicles (9.2 percent), basic education (6.4 percent), and hotel spending (5.5 percent).

Al Buraimi Governorate recorded the highest inflation rate at 3.6 percent, compared to the lowest rate in Muscat Governorate at 2.4 percent

On the other hand, the producer price index in 2022 recorded an increase of 36.4 percent, recording 167.8 points, compared to 123 points in 2021. Prices of oil and gas products led this increase; registering a growth of 44.1 percent, while non-oil products increased by 3.8 percent.

The prices of crude oil products and natural gas increased by 47 percent, while the prices of refined oil products increased by 28.2 percent. The prices of mining, electricity and water products increased by 1.3 percent, and the manufacturing industry by 4.5 percent – the most important of which were food, beverages and textile products by 11.2 percent; and metal products, machinery and equipment by 3.8 percent.