Taiwan sees highest annual average CPI growth in 14 years

TAIPEI, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Taiwan's consumer price index (CPI) rose by 2.95 percent last year, the largest increase since 2009, according to data released by the island's statistics agency on Friday.

The statistics agency said the CPI growth was largely affected by fruit prices, which increased by around 10 percent due to climate change. House rent and fuel price variations also influenced the consumer inflation rate.

The CPI for December increased by 0.16 percent month on month and by 2.71 percent year on year, the statistics agency said. It attributed the CPI growth in December to price changes for vegetables, hotel accommodation, and petrol and diesel products.

Food prices grew by 4.93 percent year on year in December, faster than other major consumption sectors, with egg prices rising 19.92 percent and vegetable prices up 11.98 percent.

The statistics agency predicted that the pressure of imported inflation has not been fully eased, and that the island's CPI growth rate might fall below 2 percent after the second quarter of the year.