INSEE agents having been unable to collect prices in the field in February due to blockades on the island, and having only done so partially in March for the same reasons, this is a “limited number of statements” on which this April 2024 bulletin is based.
Between January and March 2024, the consumer price index increases by 1.6%, “due to the increase in prices in all sectors, and more particularly energy and manufactured products”. This is a first explanation for this inflation, because most often the fall in one compensates for the rise in the other. And, for once, the only downward trend in February-March is that of plane tickets.
This increase of 1.6% is all the more notable as inflation over 12 months, from March 2023 to March 2024, “is only” +3.1% in Mayotte, “up slightly compared to the months precedents”, notes INSEE, which adds that “the increase in prices over one year is higher than at the national level, +2.3%”.
The main culprits are energy prices which, between January and March 2024, increase by 9.9%, “while they have been falling since November”. The prices of petroleum products increased by 3.1%, with an increase of 8 cents in the price of premium fuel and 4 cents in the price of diesel between January and March. The price of the gas bottle is stable. On the other hand, electricity prices increase by 19.9% “due to their gradual increase since February 1 with the end of the tariff shield”. Implemented by the Government in October 2021, this measure to protect the purchasing power of the French made it possible to limit a significant increase in energy bills, following the war in Ukraine, unlike other European countries. It came to an end gradually, particularly since 1er February 2024.
A more reassuring trend than last year
The rise in food prices continued between January and March (+0.4% after +0.4% in January). Prices of fresh products increase by 2.5%, those of other food products are stable.
Prices of manufactured products started to rise again between January and March (+1.4%). After the January sales, the prices of clothing and shoes increased by 5.2%, particularly during the Ramadan fair period.
The prices of health products are stable and those of other manufactured products increase by 0.3%.
Prices of services increased again between January and March (+0.6%), after a drop of 0.5% in January. The prices of rent, water and household waste collection are increasing (+0.5%), as are those of communications services (+0.6%). Conversely, the prices of transport services are falling (-2.2%), this is a slack period for vacation departures, while those of health services are stable. The prices of other services are increasing (+1.1%), due in particular to the increase in prices in catering and insurance.
Between January and March 2024, tobacco prices increase by 2.9%.
For comparison, we have gone down one level compared to the inflationary level of last year at the same time, since in March 2023, Mayotte recorded inflation over the last twelve months of 5.4%, compared to 3.1%. This year.
AP-L.
