The prices of 34 out of 39 food items increased up to 65 percent in August 2020 compared to August 2019, according to a report of the Statistics Division of Pakistan. 

Also, rates of 54 daily use items and 49 services increased up to 27 percent in August this year compared to August last year. According to the report, in urban areas of the country, the price of potatoes increased by 62.4 percent, wheat 44 percent, spices 39 percent, lentil 35.7 percent, sugar 28 percent, flour 23.4 percent, cooking oil 16.4 percent and fresh milk 15 percent in August this year compared to August last year. Moreover, the prices of medicines increased by 8 percent and electricity and cloth 11.4 percent in urban areas in August this year compared to August last year. 

In rural areas of the country, the report says, the price of potatoes increased by 65 percent compared to the last year, spices 49 percent, flour and sugar 26 percent and cooking oil 20 percent. Water supply charges in rural areas increased by 37.5 percent, cloth price by 15 percent and medicines prices by 8.6 percent this year compared to the last year. 

According to the report, the rate of inflation in first two months of the financial year 2020-21 stood at 8.7 percent. This rate of inflation stood at 9.4 percent in 2020 and 6.4 percent in 2019.