Cambodia saw a 1.7 per cent rise in inflation in February compared with the same month the previous year. Prices of food and fuel rose, according to official data from the National Institute of Statistics (NIS).

“The increase for all index group of a 1.7 per cent rate of inflation in February 2013 was due to the sub-groups such as food and non-alcoholic beverages; clothing and footwear; housing; water, electricity, gas and other fuels; recreation and culture; and restaurants,” NIS said.

Sim Ly, an official with NIS, said the fluctuation of petrol and food prices was the main driver of the rise in inflation.

“I noticed that the prices of gasoline, foods, some other consumer products and vegetables were a bit up in February, so it pushed our price index up a bit. And, another thing, the celebration of Chinese New Year was also a contributor,” Ly told the Post yesterday.

NIS data showed an increase in food and non-alcoholic beverage prices of two per cent – mainly due to a rise in beef prices, which increased by 14.9 per cent.

Fish and seafood prices went up by 1.7 per cent and vegetables by 5.8 per cent.

The price of clothing and footwear increased by 3.7 per cent; housing, water, electricity gas and other fuels increased by 1.8 per cent; and petrol went up by around 1.5 per cent, the data showed.

In the month of January, inflation was up just 0.3 per cent.

The government projects the inflation rate to be within four per cent this year, while the IMF projects that it will be at 3.1 per cent.