OREANDA-NEWS. Belarus was there to witness a 2.4% inflation growth in December 2013, the National Statistics Committee (Belstat) said in a press-release.

In January-December consumer prices grew 16.5%: November - 1.6%, October - 1.9%, September 1.7%, August - 0.1%, July - 1%, June - 0.3%, May - 0.7%, April - 0.5%, March - 1.1%, February - 1.2%, January - 3%, Belstat informed.

Food prices grew 2.2% in December (up 13.4% in Jan-Dec), including the price of foodstuffs - up 2.6% (9.3%).

The price of the following food products went down in December: vegetable oil - down 1.3% (down 5.1% in Jan-Dec).

The price of the following food products went up in December: vegetables - up 15.7% (+22.3% in Jan-Dec 2013), pasta - up 2.9% (+26.8%), eggs - up 6.3% (+28.6%), flour - up 7.8% (+52.6%), bread and bakery goods - up 2.1% (+17.4%), potatoes - up 11.3% (+91.1%), fruits - up 4.3% (+7.9%), confectionery goods - up 1.6% (+10.5%), tobaccos - up 1% (+59%), alcoholic beverages - up 0.7% (+20.8%).

Non-food prices grew 0.8% on the month in December 2013 (up 7.6% from the level of December 2012).

The price of the following non-food products went down in December: footwear - down 0.1% (+3.2% from the level of December 2012), clothing - down 0.4% (+3.1%).

Prices of bicycles and motorbikes grew 1.4% on the month in December (up 10.6% the level of December 2012), medications - up 1% (up 12.1%), construction materials - up 0.5% (up 7.6%), consumer electronics - up 0.2% (up 3.8%), furniture - 0.1% (up 4.7%), carpets - up 0.1% (up 4.6%), perfumes and cosmetics - up 0.9% (up 7.3%), fabrics - up 0.5% (up 4.9%), petrol - up 4.6% (+26.5%).

Utility tariffs grew 4.9% on the month in December 2013 (39.1% in Jan-Dec).

Tariffs on household services grew 8.1% on the month in December 2013 (up 47.8% in Jan-Dec): gas - up 16% (+52.9%), water supply - up 3.1% (+18.3%), electricity - 8.3% (+214%), central heating - up 16.4% (+17.3%).

Passenger tariffs grew 14% on the month (up 52.4% in Jan-Dec), medical services - up 1.3% (up 24%).

Belarus' government had expected inflation growth to stay under 12% in 2013. Belarus' consumer prices grew 21.8% in 2012, while the government's forecast stood at 19-22%.