Windhoek: The Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) has revealed that fruit prices are still rising faster than fuel costs, even though fruit inflation eased in August compared to July.

According to Namibia Press Agency, the NSA's Consumer Price Index Bulletin for August 2026 showed that fruit prices rose 13.8%, down from 15.3% in July, while transport costs jumped from 9.3% to 13.2% over the same period. The gap between the two, once six percentage points, has narrowed to less than one.

Vegetable prices, meanwhile, increased to 7.9% from 5.6% in July. Overall food and non-alcoholic beverages inflation edged up to 4.0% from 3.7%, still well below the pace of fruit and vegetables.

Alcoholic beverages and tobacco inflation also rose, to 2.6% from 2.1% in July, though it remains far below the rates recorded for fruit, vegetables, and transport.

NSA statistician-general and chief executive officer Alex Shimuafeni described inflation in the bulletin's preface as "the sustained increase in the general price level over a given period, for instance, a month, quarter, or year."

Food and non-alcoholic beverages carry a 16.5% weight in the national consumer basket, the second-largest after housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels at 28.4%. Core inflation, which strips out food and most energy costs, stood at 3.8% in August, below the 5.0% headline rate.

Inflation for goods stood at 5.2% and for services at 4.7%. Monthly inflation was 0.6%, up from 0.1% in July.

The next NCPI bulletin, covering September 2026, is expected on 08 October 2026.