Highlights

• The cost of the basic food basket (rice, oil, chickpeas, salt) remained stable in most areas, except in Mon where the price of chickpeas and salt increased as the rainy season contributed to ongoing transportation challenges and costs.
• Edible oil prices were stable overall in May, although with some variation seen across markets due to transportation costs. It is unclear to what extent the rate setting of edible oil prices at wholesale level, implemented by the Ministry of Commerce in an effort to stem price escalation, affected retail prices in retail markets.
• Slight seasonal increases in rice prices (+3% overall) were observed as planting season got underway.
• Egg prices continue to rise (+10%) due in large part to high costs of chicken feed, linked to declining availability of livestock feed amidst Russia-Ukraine conflict. Almost all areas are now seeing prices more than 50% higher than last year.
• Tomato prices increased across most markets due to decline in local seasonal production.
• Transportation is still affected everywhere by insecurity (particularly in Chin, Sagaing and Kayin) as well as the high costs of fuel – Octane fuels rose by about 13% and diesel by about 24% month-on-month since April and are more than double that of one year ago.

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