Cost of living in Fiji

from w
The high cost of living in Fiji makes is so hard for ordinary people to feed their families. Meanwhile people with status continue to eat cake and travel overseas extensively. Quoting from a blog site:
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Some food items and basic goods have gone up 55 per cent in the past six months according to a Fiji Labour Party survey.

Last week's survey compared current prices of everyday items with prices in January 2011 after VAT was increased to 15% under Budget 2011.

Garlic, onions and potatoes have come down but staples such as sugar, sharps, butter and cooking oil have gone up. The price of flour/sharps shot up by 30% from $10.99 to $14.26 for a 10kg bag. The price of cooking oil (Punja’s Soya Bean) rose 16% from $3.56 to $4.11 for a 750ml bottle.

The survey found that Rewa butter had gone up 21% putting at $7.34c for a 500g pack. Pre-devaluation 500g of was $3.29. The increase has been put at 123%.

The price for sugar has jumped almost 90% in six months from $2.39 (2kg bag) to $4.50. In recent years it was was selling for 95c a kg. Cooking gas is almost $50 ($49 a 12kg cylinder) - a 31% hike from its pre-devaluation price of $37.50.

FLP says the price of unleaded Super has jumped 60% since pre-devaluation – from $1.57 a litre to the current price of $2.50. Taken over a 6 month period from January 2011, the increase is 5.5%.

Diesel is up almost 80% from $1.33 per litre to $2.37 ltr, rising 15% since January.

Milo has jumped 55% from $6.99 (500g) to $10.79.

In the meat section, lamb/mutton cuts have increased in price by about 5% while Crest chicken has gone down slightly - 1.6% from $12.59 to $12.39 for a size 15. Canned fish and meat have increased by between 5-7% in price since January.

Prices for one or two items surveyed have remained static over the six month period such as Cold Power laundry detergent and Breakfast cracker biscuits.

Tomatoes continue to be expensive fluctuating between $10-12 a kg, despite being in season.

The FLP says its survey did not take into account market produce, prices for which have gone up 100% or more in the past six months since VAT went up to 15%. (original source FLP website)