The index this month increased 10.54 percent over the same period last year.
Thelow increase of CPI was due to sharp declines in prices of food andfood stuff, which accounted for 40 percent of the goods basket.
Prices of restaurants and catering services were down 0.8 percent. Ofwhich, prices of grains decreased 1.69 percent and food stuff, 0.87percent over March, with rice prices falling sharply thanks to abundantsupplies, as provinces in the Cuu Long ( Mekong ) Delta region reaped abumper autumn-winter crop.
Prices of essentialfoodstuff continued to decrease due to economic difficulties andabundant supplies. Pork prices decreased 3.57 percent and chicken, 0.93percent, and vegetables, 1.49 percent over last month.
In April, prices of housing and construction materials decreased 0.44percent. Gas price, especially, went down 4.43 percent as the price inthe world market dropped by 212.5 USD per tonne to 992.5 USD in March.
Alsoin April, gold prices decreased 2.62 percent over March, thanks to theGovernment policies on managing production and trading of gold.
The price for the US dollar also decreased 0.07 percent compared with last month.-VNA