Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
The annual inflation rate for August 2017 has marginally decreased by 0.3 percentage points to 6.3 percent from 6.6 percent recorded in July.
This means that on average, prices increased by 6.3 percent between August 2016 and August 2017.
Briefing journalists in Lusaka, Central Statistical Office (CSO) Director John Kalumbi says of the total 6.3 percent annual inflation rate recorded in August, food and non-alcoholic beverages accounted for 2.7 percentage points, while non-food items accounted for a total 3.6 percentage points.
He says Lusaka province had the highest provincial contribution to the overall inflation rate of 6.3% for August 2017, while North western and Luapula provinces had the lowest contribution of 0.2 percentage points each.
Mr Kalumbi adds that the annual food inflation rate stood at 5.1% for August 2017 compared to 5.3% recorded in July 2017, while the annual non food inflation rate stood at 7.7% in August from 8.1% recorded in July.
He has attributed the decrease in the annual food inflation rate to decreases in the changes of price for bread and cereals, mealie meal, meat, mixed cut, Mincemeat, Sausage and table salt.
Meanwhile Mr. Kalumbi has disclosed that Zambia has recorded a trade surplus valued at K410.6 million from a trade deficit of K335.7 million recorded in June 2017.
He says this means that the country exported more in July 2017 than it imported in nominal terms.
And Mr. Kalumbi has revealed that there has been an increase of 21.2 percent in the total value of mental exports from K4 million in June to k5.3 million in July 2017.