Ramallah: A sharp increase in the Wholesale Price Index has been recorded during 2024 and the fourth quarter of 2024, according to a report published by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS).
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, the overall Wholesale Price Index in Palestine during 2024 recorded a sharp increase of 15.93% compared with 2023 (32.83% for locally consumed products, and 9.61% for imported products).
The changes in the Wholesale Price Index for 2024 were traced back to changes in prices of the following divisions compared with the previous year. Notably, the wholesale trade, except for motor vehicles and motorcycles, saw an increase of 17.65%, while the wholesale and retail trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles rose by 1.49%.
The report recorded a sharp increase in the wholesale price index in Palestine by 17% since the beginning of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip. The overall Wholesale Price Index in Palestine during the Fourth Quarter of 2024 recorded an increase of 5.04% compared with the Third Quarter of 2024 (10.46% for locally consumed products, and 2.61% for imported products).
The changes in the Wholesale Price Index for the Fourth Quarter of 2024 were traced back to changes in prices of various divisions and categories compared with the previous quarter. The wholesale trade, except for motor vehicles and motorcycles, increased by 5.37%, and wholesale of textiles saw a significant rise of 48.87%. Other notable increases included wholesale of grains and seeds at 24.17%, wholesale of solid, liquid, and gaseous fuels and related products at 15.65%, and wholesale of live animals at 15.49%.
There were also changes in wholesale of fruits and vegetables, which increased by 8.43%, and wholesale of animal and vegetable oils and fats, which rose by 4.14%. Conversely, declines were noted in the wholesale of computers and computer peripheral equipment, which decreased by 17.28%, and wholesale of dairy products and eggs, which fell by 7.55%.
The wholesale and retail trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles saw a modest increase of 1.77%, with wholesale or retail of new vehicles rising by 4.24% and maintenance and repair of motor vehicles increasing by 0.88%.